Fijian authorities assure visitors of island’s safety after suspected alcohol poisoning

Fijian authorities are awaiting toxicology reports from seven tourists hospitalised with alcohol poisoning as officials move to reassure visitors of the Pacific Island country’s safety.

To many Australians, Fiji is the family-friendly alternative to Bali because of its reputation for safety, cleanliness and smiling locals.

With very little serious crime, Fiji prides itself on providing a warm welcome to visitors and ensuring their stay is memorable in the best way possible.

So to have seven tourists, including four Australians, fall critically ill with suspected alcohol poisoning will be considered a major blow at an important time of year.

Tourism Fiji chief executive Brent Hill says at this stage they’re awaiting toxicology reports on the seven people hospitalised to help determine what’s occurred, with something as simple as unfiltered water the possible culprit.

“We’ve spoken to the resort, it’s a reputable resort, it’s been in business 50 years and we’ve never had an incident like this occur in Fiji that any of us can remember, and certainly the resort hasn’t,” he says.

The Warwick resort and spa, Coral Coast, Fiji, where seven tourists fell critically ill with suspected alcohol poisoning. Picture: Instagram

“They’re also quite mystified because the drink, the Pina Colada was served at one bar and the same ingredients are used across the whole resort and only those seven guests have reported falling ill so we are trying to get to the bottom of that.”

In October, more than 40,000 Australians visited the Pacific island nation, up 21 per cent on the same month in 2019, thanks to aggressive marketing in the wake of the Covid pandemic aided by strong airline capacity, luxury resorts and good value package deals.

As Fiji’s biggest industry, tourism is essential to the country — contributing about 40 per cent of GDP or $1.7bn, and providing employment for more than 120,000 people.

More than half of the 1 million or so visitors to Fiji each year are Australians, followed by New Zealanders and Americans.

Hill says safety is something Fiji has always prided itself on, and its reputation was never more important than now, with thousands of tourists in country, and thousands more heading over for the peak Christmas period.

“There is nothing to suggest in terms of talking to the resort and management, that anything malicious has occurred,” he tells The Australian.

“We don’t believe any of this is in anyway widespread so we feel that we can reassure tourists that our consistent record in regards to that should stand up.”

Since reports of the incident, just weeks after six people died from methanol poisoning in Laos, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has moved to update its Smartraveller advisory for Fiji.

Although tourists continue to be advised to “exercise normal safety precautions”, DFAT has added a warning to be “alert to the potential risks around drink spiking and methanol poisoning”.

“Don’t leave food or drinks unattended, and pay attention when your drinks are being mixed. Get urgent medical help if you suspect drink spiking,” says the Smartraveller advisory.

Fiji prides itself on being a family-friendly destination. Picture: Tourism Fiji

Australian Travel Industry Association chief executive Dean Long says it appeared the people hospitalised in Fiji had been following precautions and practising safe behaviours.

“What you’re going to see is a very different response from the Fijian community and government (than that in Cambodia) that the Australian public can take a lot of confidence in,” he says.

“They want to welcome thousands of Australians and they will absolutely do a thorough investigation to get to the bottom of this and lock up whoever is responsible for this heinous act.”

Hill assures us that is precisely what’s happening, with the Ministry of Health and Fiji police involved, to “get to the bottom of what actually occurred here”.

Neither he nor Long expected to see mass cancellations with the people involved in the suspected alcohol poisoning, now in a stable condition and improving.

“We do know most people have already booked their summer holidays, so we’re not expecting a sudden rush of cancellations,” says Long.

“I think people know Fiji is a very safe destination. There might be a decrease in the amount of alcohol consumed and that might not be a bad thing but Fiji as a destination is very, very safe.”