The Fiji Hotel and Tourism Association (FHTA) strongly recommends that members who provide kava at ceremonies or cultural interaction activities that include kava tasting for guests and staff, consider doing so by offering kava in individual bowls or bilos.
With the recent comment by the Minister for Health, Dr Ifereimi Waqainabete, who stressed how “critically important good hygiene is” in the fight against communicable diseases; FHTA would like to encourage the tourism industry to be proactive and heed this advice by stopping the practice of sharing kava bowls to further reduce the possibility that any disease can be spread through the transfer of saliva.
Kava ceremonies and kava tasting is very much part of the Fijian cultural experience for our visitors and this can be enhanced to provide a higher level of safety for all concerned by ensuring that individual bowls are used and any used bowls are hygienically washed regularly whenever kava is served. Consistent attention to washing hands and using ladles to serve the kava is also recommended as part of normal hygiene practices.
Encouraging these recommended practices with tourism staff would also spread the information and awareness to communities, ensuring we are doing more to keeping Fiji healthier and safer.
(Xanax)
