Blue Lane initiative receives positive response
Port Denarau Marina Limited Chief Executive Cynthia Rasch says they have received positive responses.
“We have seen not a massive increase but there has been a bit of activity around our workshop area. Businesses that are dependent entirely on the yachting industry, we have seen lot of them come back with positive responses, some have employed additional teams or staff to keep up with the extra work that’s there. So it has been positive. A lot of them have said if it wasn’t for the Blue Lane initiative they may not have been able to survive these few months.”
The ‘Blue Lane’ was established for yacht and pleasure craft to enter Fiji and assist in the recovery of the ailing tourism industry.
More than 90 yachts have arrived under the initiative so far bringing in an estimated ten million dollars.
Rasch says the Marina is expecting ten more before the end of the year but some yacht owners are worried about getting caught up in the cyclone season.
In response, Port Denarau staff are having preparatory meetings with the yacht owners on where they can take shelter in the event of a cyclone.
Credit: FBC
Date: 26/10/2020
