By eTN Staff writer

Australia’s decision to issue a level 4 travel warning on Fiji has business groups in the beleaguered country on edge.  They contend that the travel warning is beginning to look a lot like sanction, as a level 4 rating ranks as the second highest warning advising citizens to reconsider their need to travel.

Business groups in Fiji are urging the Australian government to urgently review its travel advisory to the country, which they say is having a devastating effect on the tourism industry, Radio Australia News reported.

The Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is being urged by the Fiji Australia Business Council “to soften its travel advisory for Fiji, which hasn't been downgraded since the coup there a month ago.”

The Business Council's president Caz Tebbutt Dennis told Radio Australia the advisory completely misrepresents the situation on the ground. "It uses all sorts of extreme words like mob violence and civil disorder. . . none of which we've seen whatsoever over here," she says.

The business group president said it's had an enormous impact on the tourism industry.   "We are asking Australia could they please be responsible and revise this and help get Australian tourists back to Fiji,” she said.