On January 3, 1995, The Fiji Times published an interview with Junior Achievement Society of Fiji (JASFI) member, John Grier, who said the Bula Walking Tours, a company formed to help unemployed youths find jobs was making in-roads into the tourism industry.
The tour company was established in October 1994 under the flagship of JASFI.
Mr Grier said about 10 unemployed youths were pooled in the new business from the Youth Employment Options Centre.
He said these youths had really done well to promote tourism in the capital city.
A company brochure available at all local tourist destinations and Nadi International Airport gave details of the tours and how these could be arranged.
Renting an office space was expensive for the company so they rented booth 39, at the Suva Flea Market, on Rodwell Rd.
Most of the tours originated from the booth while a few of the youths were on standby at the Fiji Museum on days that cruise ships were in port.
“Being present at the museum helps organise immediate tours for tourists who do not know the company exists and just find out from the museum,” Mr Grier said.
One of the objectives of the tours was to offer practical training to out-of-school youths in the establishment of small businesses.
They invested in shares of stocks and learned about elected offices, developed business plans, and were trained in marketing and managing as well as in tour services.
The booth also had local handicrafts on sale.
Mr Grier said when the youths were not busy giving tours, they were occupied in selling these items.
Generally, a tour of an hour and half cost $7.50 per adult and $5 per child.
This applied to separately booked tours where, and if tourists didn’t have objections, the youths would consolidate and take up to six individuals at a time.
Large groups could be accommodated at a slightly lower cost per person.
But he said the youths were encouraged to take a maximum of six people at a time for a personalised service.
The group offered three different tours of Suva’s historic sites, the Fiji Museum and Garden and of the markets.
The historic walks covered areas on Cumming St, along Victoria Pde, The Triangle, Town Hall and past the Andrew Carnegie-donated Suva City Library.
The tour also covered visits to the area near the Fiji Broadcasting Commission which was once home to Fiji’s first sugar mill built by Leicester Smith in 1873.
The Fiji Museum and Garden tour covered the museum with details on some of the exhibitions.
Tour of the market was perhaps the most colourful, the area being a melting pot of all cultures, races and traditions.
Mr Grier said the three markets in the capital had always interested visitors.
These were the produce, flea market and the handicraft centre.
Often the visitors were hesitant to plunge into such a different environment but the youths made it a place of learning.
Youths identified and explained the native fruits, vegetables and spices.
Mr Grier said a guide at the handicraft stalls always helped “smooth the way and ensure faith treatment”.
