Tourism Internships in Fiji

Sepanx is real! (separation anxiety) I gained so many charming friends in my internship in USA! My workmates are adorable people. As to the job duties, we did leisure travel arrangements, cruises, tours, independent packages, corporate travel-related sales. We also arranged their service - air, car, hotel reservations. I got to try a lot of hotels (for free!) because we "develop incoming leads and turn them into bookings". They also told me that I have potential to become a full-time consultant after the internship period. I am thrilled!

I really love traveling. They say that when you do something you love, you won't have to work a day in your life. So this is my first step to being a travel consultant. The firm I was assigned to is very hospitable - was welcomed by an all-female staff, which made me really comfortable. They are like sisters and mothers to me. I got particularly close to Jessica, my partner in our Japan project, and to Ms. Lilia, who is my boss in one of our arrangement/ deal with a rude customer! They are so nice even if some customers are so rude, that's why I really admire them. It was grace under pressure, in the most literal sense!

Working for a travel consultancy firm made me realize how interesting this field is for me. I talked to clients, created itineraries, did research on fares, and communicated with a lot of people. When I said phone calls are main part of my job duties, I ain't lying. But the fact that I learned about the operations (ins and outs) of travel consultancy is very significant to me. Very valuable, since I plan to open a travel consultancy firm in the near future!

Kudos to IGS for a great summer! We were assigned to a local dive resort in beqa islands, assisted clients on dive trips and work on some graphics and emails to promote tours. the fire walkers are so cool!!!

We taught adorable children and lived in a Fijian village. As a native English speaker, it was easy for me to teach them basic English words. But the most challenging for me was making some kids calm down after they had tantrums. It was still a great experience. The school treated us as own employees, own teachers. Seems a like a new life for me

Fiji’s beaches are the real deal! For my marine research internship, we worked under a world-renowned reef ecologist and did researches on MPA’s (marine protected areas). We were given trainings before our actual work so everything was smooth. Every detail was well thought off. Im glad I put my savings into this memorable experience.

am grateful for my IGS mentor for being the best mentor I could think of. He always checks up on me and explains me the tasks thoroughly before letting me dive into the action. was assigned to do social media strategies to reach out to possible clients. also connected with local hostels for possible partnerships. Now, I have a great list of hostels which I could use when I bring my friends here next time.

My IGS mentor encouraged my on-the-ground participation on more complex tasks like events planning. We coordinated for a staff party and I was so amazed how I could be so creative and efficient! My fellow interns are so imaginative and resourceful too. Aside from their staff party, we were also involved in their staff seminars and meetings; and it made us feel a sense of belongingness. I feel like I am a part of the family. Thank you to the kind hotel staff, superiors, and of course, too IGS!

I always thought that intern-ing in Fiji would be very challenging to me. I have little knowledge about the country and I did not even know that they speak English there. I only knew about that when I lived with the families there. English is the primary language of instruction in schools and most villagers can converse in the language. It was helpful for me because English is the only language I know.

This internship is a great way to explore my passion while learning the business side of things. I have always identified myself as a “wanderlust”. Here, we are reminded to do responsible travelling to natural areas, in an effort to conserve the environment and sustain the well-being of the local people. We did a lot of marketing trips and seminars. It would be particularly helpful since I plan to take up Marketing in college.

I was assigned in Cancun, Mexico, and promoted whale shark tours and accompanied clients. I learned the importance of building environmental and cultural awareness and respect; and providing positive experiences for visitors. I will never forget them. Not to mention that my fellow interns are just so wonderful! One of them was training for the beauty pageant Miss Earth, which is an international environmental-themed competition. She said that is a great way to know more about environmental conservation. Well, I am sure it is. Good luck to her..

I needed another internship for my college resume and I am glad to have read about IGS at such a perfect time. This internship was one of a kind, I could say. For the job, we carried out Marketing duties for the resort. It was fascinating that they shared us effective marketing strategies and techniques. And for the networking, my co-interns are wonderful. They came from different parts of the world and we were happy to share our cultures while we explore our host country. Love the expi!

What I appreciate in my short stint as an intern was that we were assigned to different departments and duties. Personally, I particularly enjoyed handling front desk duties and check-ins. I was able to witness real-life situations wherein some customers are very difficult to attend to; but my superiors showed me how they professionally handled them. It was inspiring to see how calm and smiling they are all the time. IGS helps interns determine whether they have the right personality for tourism and hospitality – and now I’m sure I am perfect and ready for this career!

After we finished our training, we are appointed to different research locations.... As far as I know, some were assigned to the Taveuni Island and some were in Beqa Island... As an advocate of the protection and conservation of coral reefs, I so love the tasks designated to us. Also, we lived with a very sweet Fijian family, that taught us about their lovely culture and stunning traditions... My Social Science teacher would be super proud of me for having this kind of immersion....

IGS prepared our accommodation at the South Seas Hostel and we had to commute a short distance to the training site. I don’t mind the commuting time though because that was actually the best time to explore the city and visit botanical gardens and cultural museums. There are plenty of them near our hostel that we sometimes forget to go home before dinner time!

As a traveller, this eco-tourism field is the most interesting for me. It was my first time in Sydney, Australia, and I was assigned to a high-end wine gallery, as an assistant guide on daily tours. The chief guide also gave me an opportunity to do away from his shadow and to lead some tours. IGS, you rock!

My mom and I are thrilled to know that I was accepted in this internship program. She was the one who gave me an idea about IGS, which she learned from her colleague. I was deployed to a leading kayak tour company in Thailand. We are toured in the John Gray's Hong in Phang Nga Bay where we discovered the caves and lagoons through sea kayaking excursion. We paddled our way around Koh Phanak and Hong Island, made flower ‘Krathong’, and watched the sunset from the boat. It was a magical experience.

More than just practical experience, the best part for me was the opportunity to take on a paid position. I get to earn salaries and buy the things I could not spend on when I was still a student. It gives me a sense of freedom and independence. There is a high turnover in this field, so our superiors guaranteed us that hardworking students can earn employment if we continued working effectively and efficiently.

I took my internship in Australia and it was crazy (in a good way)! It was super fun bonding with my co-interns and hotel staff. I am still friends with them until now. We talk via Viber and WeChat during weekends. I also met my boyfriend there, so it was an experience I will never forget!

My IGS mentor was adorable. He made sure I was having the best experience by having an up close and personal immersion into the Fijian way of life and marine ecosystems. Miss Sykes was very well-informed about her craft. She trained us on how to lay transects and how to observe and record species they will encounter on the reefs. Fiji was awesome!