Salote Naisua never dreamed that she would one day play a major part in the Tourism Industry.

Ms Naisua is currently the Front Office Manager for Outrigger Fiji Beach Resort along the Coral Coast.

She has also been looking after af­ter Public Relations for the Resort since 2014.

She was part of the team that helped the resort to be recognised in the 2018 ANZ Fiji Excellence in Tourism Awards to the Hall of Fame.

The former Jasper Williams High School Student has never regretted venturing into the Tourism Indus­try which she said has shaped her life.

“I actually began my working ca­reer with the Fiji Mocambo (now Novotel Nadi) in 1998 as a Meet and Greet Staff,” the Nailaga, Ba native said.

Ms Naisua held the position for three months before she was of­fered a job at Fiji Mocambo.

The then sister hotel Shangri La Fijian Hotel ( now Shangri La’s Fijian Resort and Spa) on Yanuca Island in Cuvu as a Guest Services Agent.

She held this position for four years and was promoted to Guest Relations Officer.

After three years in this position she was recognised for her hard and dedicated work and was pro­moted to Duty Manager.

In 2010, the Outrigger Fiji Beach Resort offered her the position of Guest Services Manager and held on that position till 2017 were she was promoted to the position she currently holds.

She recalls: “Ba is not a tourism town so any thoughts of being in­volved in the tourism industry while growing up in Nailaga Vil­lage was never in my mind.

“So to join the tourism industry was a big challenge for me, but I made up my mind to make a career out of it.

“I was lucky to be assisted along the way by some senior staff at both the Fiji Mocambo and Shangri La Fijian Hotel.

It helped me with my transition into the growing tourism industry.”

Ms Naisua said what made it easy during the transition was, as a Fi­jian, she had the natural gift of looking after the visitors which tourist had come to admire with all Fijians who worked in the tourism industry.

She said tourism now as com­pared to 1998 when she began her working career had gone through a lot of changes.

“Today it is important for Indus­try workers recognise the chal­lenges they faced, considering the amount of competition for the tourist dollar both in the region and around the world.

“We must value the choice that visitors make to come to Fiji and assure they leave with an unforget­table experience.

“Tourism has grown tremendous­ly with more hotels and resorts.

“Tourism is now the back bone of the Economy and is a Clear in­dication of how the industry has grown.

“I have no regrets joining the tour­ism industry and is the best choice I have ever made.”

Ms Naisua said her work has as­sisted her in her growth to where she is to today and as a citizen to be proud of being a Fijian.

“My work has made me meet a lot of people from different countries and while learning their culture broaden my knowledge on how I see things.”

Ms Naisua is married to Michael Bali who also works at the Outrig­ger Fiji Beach Resort as the Guest Services Manager.

The couple have four children.

Feedback: charles.chambers@fijisun.com.fj