News and information service for Banaban Network Worldwide!
Sailing with fame - And Visit to Rabi
FIJI TIMES ONLINE
By Sharila Lazarus Sunday, March 01, 2009
Morika Young
It is all in the determination one has. Sometimes, it is puzzling that we have sky-high ambitions. But the normal argument is that ambitions need not be related to success. Morika Young had ambitions of becoming a vet but destiny had bigger and better plans in store for her.
"I dreamt of passing my exams and setting up a mobile clinic in an ice cream truck, travelling about tending to sick and needy animals. I got a job as a receptionist in a veterinary clinic. It made me realise I would have made a disastrous vet — unable to put a healthy dog down I'd have had a home crammed full of pets," she said. "Then reality struck — I had to study for seven years and I was awful at Maths. That was the end of that. But working at the Sheraton, I realised I had a real knack for marketing."
"I decided I needed to spread my wings and fly the coup to get a proper marketing qualification. It wasn't a decision that went down well with my parents. My brother Justin was already studying in the US but that didn't give me a licence to do the same. I booked my flights and went to tell my parents who said they would disown me if I left. They weren't joking. It was some time before relations thawed and they accepted doing a marketing degree in Hawaii had been a good idea."
Morika's life began as a young girl growing up in a loving family in Fiji's Hidden Paradise, Savusavu. She is the younger of two siblings. Morika's brother Justin, a marine biologist has put his profession to great use by setting up Hunter Pearls in Savusavu.
She also has an extended family with two step-sisters and three step-brothers. Her sister Katie lives in Cairns and is married to an Australian accountant; Tara is an artist here in Fiji; Johnny is a sea captain; Vincent manages Beachcomber Island and Danny Costello needs no introduction.
Growing up in Savusavu at Wina on their family plantation was so much fun for her. She finished high school in Fiji and got a job at the Sheraton in Nadi. "It didn't take long for me to realise it wasn't for me," she said.
On honeymoon with husband and business partner, Tige, they hatched a plan. It was coming back to Fiji and setting up a business that meant something more than earning pots of money.
Morika's family has been involved in the shipping business. Saltwater is in her veins. Her grandfather ran boats all over the islands collecting and delivering copra. Her father built the ship that became the centre of their new business, the Tui Tai. It used to run between Beachcomber Island Resort and Lautoka.
When asked what motivated her to work on a cruise ship, Morika said, "The Tui Tai was a part of my childhood. I remember hiding up on the monkey islands, the top deck of the ship, watching the crew navigate their way around the islands. I couldn't have been more than 10-years old, but I loved being on board.
As Tige and Morika were hatching their business plan, they had thought a lot about the northern islands of Fiji which remain untouched and unknown.
"We were looking for adventure and it dawned on me that we could combine all of this by offering a very different kind of cruise. I passionately wanted to help the people in our country who need the basics in life — like building schools, medical clinics, taking solar power to high schools so they no longer need to rely on fuel, and providing scholarships for children so they stay in school. This is my motivation — showing people in these villages how they can help themselves by just doing something as simple as basket-weaving to give them a source of income."
Cruising on the Tui Tai would be a once in a lifetime experience for many. Cruise tourism is being seen as a liberator for Fiji. The industry has had an average annual growth rate of 8.2% in the past few years. Similarly Fiji has seen port calls sky-rocket by more than 100%.
"The Tui Tai cruise ship was mainly created to introduce more relaxing ways to see some of Fiji's beautiful coasts and bays with guides who will help you explore both the stunning landscape and reefs underwater or lead you on adventures through the rainforests to hidden waterfalls on dry land," says Morika, the founder of Tui Tai Cruises.
Cruising has become a major part of the tourism industry, with millions of passengers each year.
The cruise tourism industry is now one of the most dynamic and fastest growing components of the leisure industry.
The name Tui Tai existed even before Morika was born. She's been a part of the family. The number of crew on board is 18. They're made up of the captain and the deck crew who sail the ship, navigating her through the dangerous reefs and finding the most beautiful dive and snorkel spots to anchor. And there is the hospitality crew, diving instructors and onboard photographer.
The cruise ship owner reckons it is important to find the right personalities to fit each job.
Some people have a natural ability to make guests feel at ease in their surroundings and this is incredibly important on a cruise ship.
Morika stresses that it is imperative for guests to be comfortable and relaxed or the cruise ship has failed them. All her crew understand that this isn't far from just a floating hotel. They all know that the Tui Tai is as much about helping the local communities and bringing humanitarian assistance as it is giving guests a beautiful holiday.
The Tui Tai was built in 1980, making her almost 30 years old, but she looks nothing like the modern day cruiseliners. She was modelled on a traditional schooner more from the 1800s than the late 20th century making her a romantic sight as she sails into the bay.
Originally Morika had her fitted out with dormitories for the backpacker market but she's since been completely rebuilt to more comfortable standards to meet the demand. And in every way environmentally friendly materials are used when maintaining the ship plus the interior is full of beautifully designed Fijian art and craft.
It is a luxury adventure cruise ship. For Tige and Morika, it is a tough business with plenty of healthy competition — but they've stood by their original principle of setting up a business that isn't just about money but about putting something back into the community. The Tui Tai concept has earned respect for this. Activities provided on Tui Tai are: scuba diving, dive courses, snorkelling, kayaking, guided hikes, visits to remote villages, mountain biking, fishing, and talks onboard the Tui Tai on Fijian history, Polynesian, Micronesian and Melanesian cultures and marine biology.
Her onboard spa viram offers treatments on the beach or by a waterfall or in the comfort of its spa room. On each expedition, a maximum of 24 passengers board the ship who are very well catered for with 18 crew members on hand each trip. Some of the destinations the Tui Tai sets sail to are Natewa Bay on Vanua Levu, Kioa, Rabi and Taveuni. The Tui Tai offers the only way to see the Ringgold Atolls and many remote bays along the way are also visited.
Giving her views on Fiji's tourism sector, Morika says: "We and our media all need to do our part and portray Fiji in a positive light. You don't have to like the government or agree with what they are trying to do — but we all have to be pro Fiji! No one else is — or is expected to — these are our islands and our livelihood from grassroot business to industry. We all rely on some aspect of tourism. So let's get behind Fiji and show the world a positive and inviting Fiji."
The cruise ship owner is immensely in favour of government's initiative for the tourism sector. "I am fully in favour of the government's initiative. They're providing the funding required and are actually listening to people in the industry. These voices they are listening to know what is needed for tourism to grow and prosper, especially in these increasingly hard times. The government has been very supportive and pro-active."
MOST MEMORABLE MOMENT DURING A VISIT TO RABI
Her most memorable moment with the Tui Tai was during a visit to Rabi. "When we first visited I'd talked to the people there about reviving their handicraft, their traditional dance and culture so our guests could better understand their heritage. But the people weren't committed to the idea. Then a year later they asked if we'd visit Rabi again. I joined the Tui Tai back to this community and they put on the most amazing performance of local dance and offered some beautiful art and craft.
"As I watched the young girls and boys entertaining our guests, I was overwhelmed. Then they started to thank me and the Tui Tai for making them revive where they had come from. They had been so focused on just surviving and getting through, they had forgotten how important their roots were. I said to myself at that very moment, no matter what happens to this business I've created, I'm going to be okay. That one experience validated my whole business — that was why Tui Tai exists. It was a truly humbling moment."
When her father died, her mum couldn't cope with the business she'd been left to run. It had a big impact on Morika at a young age. She was never going to allow herself to be left in that position and decided to stand on her own two feet. Tui Tai had made its mark in the tourism business when National Geographic voted it one of the "Best Travel Companies on Earth" and also one of the "25 Best New Trips for 2009".
n Ms Lazarus is the Information Officer at the Attorney-General's Chambers.
By Sharila Lazarus Sunday, March 01, 2009
It is all in the determination one has. Sometimes, it is puzzling that we have sky-high ambitions. But the normal argument is that ambitions need not be related to success. Morika Young had ambitions of becoming a vet but destiny had bigger and better plans in store for her.
"I dreamt of passing my exams and setting up a mobile clinic in an ice cream truck, travelling about tending to sick and needy animals. I got a job as a receptionist in a veterinary clinic. It made me realise I would have made a disastrous vet — unable to put a healthy dog down I'd have had a home crammed full of pets," she said. "Then reality struck — I had to study for seven years and I was awful at Maths. That was the end of that. But working at the Sheraton, I realised I had a real knack for marketing."
"I decided I needed to spread my wings and fly the coup to get a proper marketing qualification. It wasn't a decision that went down well with my parents. My brother Justin was already studying in the US but that didn't give me a licence to do the same. I booked my flights and went to tell my parents who said they would disown me if I left. They weren't joking. It was some time before relations thawed and they accepted doing a marketing degree in Hawaii had been a good idea."
Morika's life began as a young girl growing up in a loving family in Fiji's Hidden Paradise, Savusavu. She is the younger of two siblings. Morika's brother Justin, a marine biologist has put his profession to great use by setting up Hunter Pearls in Savusavu.
She also has an extended family with two step-sisters and three step-brothers. Her sister Katie lives in Cairns and is married to an Australian accountant; Tara is an artist here in Fiji; Johnny is a sea captain; Vincent manages Beachcomber Island and Danny Costello needs no introduction.
Growing up in Savusavu at Wina on their family plantation was so much fun for her. She finished high school in Fiji and got a job at the Sheraton in Nadi. "It didn't take long for me to realise it wasn't for me," she said.
On honeymoon with husband and business partner, Tige, they hatched a plan. It was coming back to Fiji and setting up a business that meant something more than earning pots of money.
Morika's family has been involved in the shipping business. Saltwater is in her veins. Her grandfather ran boats all over the islands collecting and delivering copra. Her father built the ship that became the centre of their new business, the Tui Tai. It used to run between Beachcomber Island Resort and Lautoka.
When asked what motivated her to work on a cruise ship, Morika said, "The Tui Tai was a part of my childhood. I remember hiding up on the monkey islands, the top deck of the ship, watching the crew navigate their way around the islands. I couldn't have been more than 10-years old, but I loved being on board.
As Tige and Morika were hatching their business plan, they had thought a lot about the northern islands of Fiji which remain untouched and unknown.
"We were looking for adventure and it dawned on me that we could combine all of this by offering a very different kind of cruise. I passionately wanted to help the people in our country who need the basics in life — like building schools, medical clinics, taking solar power to high schools so they no longer need to rely on fuel, and providing scholarships for children so they stay in school. This is my motivation — showing people in these villages how they can help themselves by just doing something as simple as basket-weaving to give them a source of income."
Cruising on the Tui Tai would be a once in a lifetime experience for many. Cruise tourism is being seen as a liberator for Fiji. The industry has had an average annual growth rate of 8.2% in the past few years. Similarly Fiji has seen port calls sky-rocket by more than 100%.
"The Tui Tai cruise ship was mainly created to introduce more relaxing ways to see some of Fiji's beautiful coasts and bays with guides who will help you explore both the stunning landscape and reefs underwater or lead you on adventures through the rainforests to hidden waterfalls on dry land," says Morika, the founder of Tui Tai Cruises.
Cruising has become a major part of the tourism industry, with millions of passengers each year.
The cruise tourism industry is now one of the most dynamic and fastest growing components of the leisure industry.
The name Tui Tai existed even before Morika was born. She's been a part of the family. The number of crew on board is 18. They're made up of the captain and the deck crew who sail the ship, navigating her through the dangerous reefs and finding the most beautiful dive and snorkel spots to anchor. And there is the hospitality crew, diving instructors and onboard photographer.
The cruise ship owner reckons it is important to find the right personalities to fit each job.
Some people have a natural ability to make guests feel at ease in their surroundings and this is incredibly important on a cruise ship.
Morika stresses that it is imperative for guests to be comfortable and relaxed or the cruise ship has failed them. All her crew understand that this isn't far from just a floating hotel. They all know that the Tui Tai is as much about helping the local communities and bringing humanitarian assistance as it is giving guests a beautiful holiday.
The Tui Tai was built in 1980, making her almost 30 years old, but she looks nothing like the modern day cruiseliners. She was modelled on a traditional schooner more from the 1800s than the late 20th century making her a romantic sight as she sails into the bay.
Originally Morika had her fitted out with dormitories for the backpacker market but she's since been completely rebuilt to more comfortable standards to meet the demand. And in every way environmentally friendly materials are used when maintaining the ship plus the interior is full of beautifully designed Fijian art and craft.
It is a luxury adventure cruise ship. For Tige and Morika, it is a tough business with plenty of healthy competition — but they've stood by their original principle of setting up a business that isn't just about money but about putting something back into the community. The Tui Tai concept has earned respect for this. Activities provided on Tui Tai are: scuba diving, dive courses, snorkelling, kayaking, guided hikes, visits to remote villages, mountain biking, fishing, and talks onboard the Tui Tai on Fijian history, Polynesian, Micronesian and Melanesian cultures and marine biology.
Her onboard spa viram offers treatments on the beach or by a waterfall or in the comfort of its spa room. On each expedition, a maximum of 24 passengers board the ship who are very well catered for with 18 crew members on hand each trip. Some of the destinations the Tui Tai sets sail to are Natewa Bay on Vanua Levu, Kioa, Rabi and Taveuni. The Tui Tai offers the only way to see the Ringgold Atolls and many remote bays along the way are also visited.
Giving her views on Fiji's tourism sector, Morika says: "We and our media all need to do our part and portray Fiji in a positive light. You don't have to like the government or agree with what they are trying to do — but we all have to be pro Fiji! No one else is — or is expected to — these are our islands and our livelihood from grassroot business to industry. We all rely on some aspect of tourism. So let's get behind Fiji and show the world a positive and inviting Fiji."
The cruise ship owner is immensely in favour of government's initiative for the tourism sector. "I am fully in favour of the government's initiative. They're providing the funding required and are actually listening to people in the industry. These voices they are listening to know what is needed for tourism to grow and prosper, especially in these increasingly hard times. The government has been very supportive and pro-active."
MOST MEMORABLE MOMENT DURING A VISIT TO RABI
Her most memorable moment with the Tui Tai was during a visit to Rabi. "When we first visited I'd talked to the people there about reviving their handicraft, their traditional dance and culture so our guests could better understand their heritage. But the people weren't committed to the idea. Then a year later they asked if we'd visit Rabi again. I joined the Tui Tai back to this community and they put on the most amazing performance of local dance and offered some beautiful art and craft.
"As I watched the young girls and boys entertaining our guests, I was overwhelmed. Then they started to thank me and the Tui Tai for making them revive where they had come from. They had been so focused on just surviving and getting through, they had forgotten how important their roots were. I said to myself at that very moment, no matter what happens to this business I've created, I'm going to be okay. That one experience validated my whole business — that was why Tui Tai exists. It was a truly humbling moment."
When her father died, her mum couldn't cope with the business she'd been left to run. It had a big impact on Morika at a young age. She was never going to allow herself to be left in that position and decided to stand on her own two feet. Tui Tai had made its mark in the tourism business when National Geographic voted it one of the "Best Travel Companies on Earth" and also one of the "25 Best New Trips for 2009".
n Ms Lazarus is the Information Officer at the Attorney-General's Chambers.
Comment
-
Comment by saron aren baoa on March 2, 2009 at 8:34pm
-
awsome blog keep up the unique tradition and culture
-
-
awsome
Forum
Visiting Rabi and Ocean Island
Started by brian russell in Banaban Issues. Last reply by Stacey King Apr 16, 2020. 7 Replies 0 Likes
Homecoming to Banaba
Started by Christina Maree Buchanan in Banaban Issues Jun 27, 2019. 0 Replies 2 Likes
Slides of Banaba from the 1960's
Started by Dominic Kaukas in Banaban Issues. Last reply by Stacey King Jun 13, 2019. 1 Reply 0 Likes
Events
HELP RABI WOMEN IN FIJI
for more details
Sponsors
Badge
Radio Links
© 2024 Created by Stacey King.
Powered by
You need to be a member of Banaban Voice to add comments!
Join Banaban Voice