Lonely Planet™ · Thorn Tree Forum · 2020 |

# Ever Increasing Chinese Hegemony in South Pacific Continues Country forums / Pacific Islands & Papua New Guinea
harrychorpita 18:09 UTC 13 Aug 2009 | I wonder if this will be another International Dateline fiasco like that clown show in Nukulofa CHINA DEVELOPER TO BUILD HOTEL IN FIJI The Nadi property will have 184 rooms SUVA, Fiji (Fiji Sun, August 12, 2009) – Fiji will soon have its first taste and experience of a Chinese haven as construction progresses on a hotel site along the Nadi Back Road. The new hotel, according to award-winning tourism magazine, Explore Fiji, marks the entry by SSS International, a wholly-owned investment of China Suzhou Youth Travel Service Company Limited (SYTS) from Suzhou, China. Explore Fiji publisher Connie Chew featured the upcoming entry in this month’s edition of the magazine which showcases the finished result of the site and what will be on offer once it becomes open to the public. The hotel, she writes, is a first for Fiji and conjures up visions of ancient China with stunning Venice of the East waterways set among tropical landscape with modern lifestyle amenities. The hotels architecture is developed by China’s renowned state-certified Suzhou Institute of Architectural Design Co. Ltd and will be constructed in such a manner so as to reflect the elegance and space of ancient places in China including Beijing legendary Forbidden City. Ms Chew states that with successful establishments in New Zealand and Canada, SYTS or SSS International Hotel (Fiji) Limited as it is known on the local scale, has a long term goal to expand its global footprint to include a network of hotels in Fiji. The hotel will feature 184 guestrooms and first class amenities which will be complemented by dining offerings with traditional Chinese fare characterised by unique flavours. The trademark of the hotel could very well be the pools, waterways and gardens that will be designed in the tradition that Suzhou is famous for. SSS Nadi Hotel is the group’s first address in Fiji and is scheduled to open next year. Ms Chew goes on to state that the property will fulfill major accommodation needs for visitors to Fiji, in particular the Chinese market. Overall, it will contribute significantly to what has been considered the backbone of this country: the Tourism Industry. Furthermore, it will create a much needed source of employment. |
ozziegiraffe 12:33 UTC 14 Aug 2009 | Somehow, I'd prefer to stay in a locally-owned, Pacifc Island-themed hotel, not an artificial Chinese Taj mahal. After all, I can (and did) go to China for that. | 1
watsoff 16:48 UTC 14 Aug 2009 | I second Ozzie! | 2
mandja 23:59 UTC 15 Aug 2009 | Yes, and no. Like the others "I'd prefer to stay in a locally-owned, Pacific Island-themed hotel" too, but...the Fijian economy desperately needs investment, even from politically inspired China.Nadi and Fiji in general is an economic basket case. Front page news (perhaps surprising given censorship), was the story that the only Fijian cement factory was out of supplies for 2 weeks in July.Maybe all the concrete went to the Chinese. The story noted by the OP seems to suggest that the hotel might cater to Chinese tourists - again a good thing for the economy. Mind you even better for the economy would be the Junta bowing to International pressure and bringing in free elections, which would unleash some well-needed foreign aid from Aus+NZ etc (I hope!!). | 3
Laszlo 08:19 UTC 16 Aug 2009 | Most resorts in this region are not local-owned anyway. So if all the Aussies, French etc can own/run resorts and hotels there, why shouldn't the Chinese? The Chinese may not be my favourite tourists, but they are probably not the worst either, and this way they will just stay together, I guess. Much as the Japanese do in the Marianas or in NC, I think. As for being offered Chinese food - come on, how many non-Chinese tourists eat real Pacific food in the islands? From what I saw, most westerners also preferred to eat pretty much what they do at home. | 4
ozziegiraffe 13:23 UTC 16 Aug 2009 | Depends whether the profits stay i Fiji, or are mostly returned to China, as happens in some foreign-owed resorts (and not just Chinese ones). I wpuld try to research who benefits, and generally prefer not to stay in foreign-owned resorts (I can do that here in Australia). | 5
wksamoa 20:30 UTC 16 Aug 2009 | As far as I know most package tourism resorts are owned by Australian, New Zealand, US or European companies so who would care about one Chinese owned one? Those who ask for market economies should be able to face competition. There is hegemony in the South Pacific but it certainly is not Chinese. | 6
harrychorpita 00:04 UTC 17 Aug 2009 | "There is hegemony in the South Pacific but it certainly is not Chinese....." Care to elaborate? Because they are all over Tonga like- (I Beg Your Pardon) -white on rice. | 7