🌿 How can tourism development support jobs, better services, stronger infrastructure and more resilient local economies?
In Fiji, the Fiji Tourism Development Program in Vanua Levu, also known as the Na Vualiku Project, is supporting a more integrated approach to sustainable tourism development in the country’s northern region.
📸The Project team welcomed the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Economic Affairs for a briefing on progress and priorities under the Program.
✅The engagement provided an opportunity to share updates on work being advanced across key areas, including the Integrated Tourism Master Plan, support for micro, small and medium enterprises and community-based tourism, solid waste management, solar feasibility work, cityscape planning, and broader efforts to strengthen destination readiness.
💬Discussions highlighted the importance of coordinated planning, creating a shared vision with all stakeholders, improving air, road and sea access, strengthening supporting infrastructure, and ensuring that local communities and businesses are positioned to participate in and benefit from tourism growth.
🤝Through the Fiji Tourism Development Program in Vanua Levu, partners are working to support tourism development that is inclusive, sustainable and locally grounded, creating opportunities for people, strengthening communities and contributing to long-term economic growth in Fiji’s North. 🌿
New technology to support safer, more reliable air services for Labasa passengers, businesses and visitors
Labasa Airport is expected to become the first airport in the Pacific to host a remote tower Aerodrome Flight Information Service, known as AFIS, in a move aimed at strengthening air services for Vanua Levu.
The planned system will use cameras and other equipment at Labasa Airport to transmit real-time flight information to the Nadi Operations Centre, supporting safer, more reliable and better-coordinated services for aircraft operating to and from Labasa.
For passengers, residents and businesses, the investment means Labasa Airport is being equipped with modern technology to support the air services that connect Vanua Levu with the rest of Fiji.
The initiative is being delivered through the Fiji Tourism Development Program in Vanua Levu, locally known as the Na Vualiku Project. The Program is a flagship Government of Fiji initiative financed by the World Bank and led by the Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation in collaboration with implementing partners, including Fiji Airports and the Fiji Roads Authority.
Under a contract awarded by Fiji Airports, Adacel Technologies Limited will deploy its REVAL remote tower system for Labasa Airport. The system will include a Remote Tower Module at Labasa Airport and a Remote Tower Centre at the Nadi Operations Centre, strengthening how flight information is captured, monitored and shared.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Tourism and Civil Aviation, Hon. Viliame Gavoka, said the investment reflects the Government’s commitment to strengthening the foundations for sustainable tourism and regional development in Vanua Levu.
“For residents and passengers, this means the airport is being equipped with modern technology to support safer, more reliable and better-coordinated aviation services for the North,” he said.
“The planned remote tower AFIS system for Labasa Airport is part of a wider effort to modernise tourism-enabling infrastructure and essential services, while supporting communities, businesses and visitors who rely on safe and dependable transport links,” he added.
“Aviation connectivity is critical for Vanua Levu’s future. Through the Na Vualiku Project, the Government is investing in practical, long-term improvements that strengthen access, safety, reliability and confidence in the North as a sustainable tourism destination,” Hon. Gavoka said.
Labasa Airport is a key gateway for Vanua Levu, supporting residents, visitors, businesses, government services and essential service providers. The planned remote tower AFIS system is expected to improve aviation services and will support the tourism sector by helping strengthen regional connectivity and operational resilience.
Fiji Airports Chief Executive Officer, Mesake Seavula Nawari, said the project is an important step forward in strengthening aviation services for Vanua Levu and supporting Fiji’s broader economic development.
He said that the remote tower’s architecture will enable real-time operational visibility and monitoring from a centralized facility in Nadi, supporting safe and efficient remote service delivery in Labasa.
“By modernising aerodrome service delivery at Labasa through advanced technology, we are enhancing regional connectivity, supporting tourism growth and helping ensure safe, reliable air transport for our communities and visitors,” he explained.
The remote tower AFIS system is one of several aviation-related investments being supported under the Na Vualiku Project to strengthen connectivity and enable sustainable tourism development in Vanua Levu and Taveuni.
The Na Vualiku Project supports coordinated investments in tourism-enabling infrastructure, essential public services, regional connectivity, enterprise development, climate resilience, environmental and social planning, and community-based tourism.
2026 is set to see a major leap forward with several key activities under the Na Vualiku Project advancing, with upcoming milestones in MSME and Community-Based Tourism support program, solar powerfor public buildings, solid waste management, airport planning, and tourism infrastructure design across Vanua Levu and Taveuni.
Initiatives such as Drawa’s community-led eco-retreat show the potential of Vanua Levu’s untapped #tourism opportunities, where culture, conservation, and local livelihoods can grow together.
The Na Vualiku Project is working to strengthen sustainable tourism models across Vanua Levu and Taveuni. Our focus is protecting the environment, empowering communities, and building long-term resilience through sustainable tourism development.
Congratulations to the people of Drawa on this important milestone, with the eco-retreat officially opened by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Tourism and Civil Aviation, Hon. V@iliame Gavoka.
During severe weather events, demand for medical care can rise at the very moment power systems, roads, supply chains, and emergency services are under the greatest pressure. Fiji has already seen how devastating the consequences can be when severe weather, health emergencies, and power disruptions collide.
Reliable Power for Essential Services
Reliable power is not just about keeping the lights on. In a hospital, reliable electricity can determine whether care continues safely and without interruption.
In a hospital, electricity helps keep essential care running, including nebulizers and oxygen machines that support patients with breathing difficulties, defibrillators that save lives during a cardiac arrest, the beeping monitors that help health workers track a patient’s condition, vaccine fridges, and medical testing equipment. It also supports communication systems used to coordinate emergency response, and patient care.
Solar power does not only help reduce electricity costs over time. It also strengthens energy resilience for such essential services. And, such reliability can make the difference between life and death.
The Fiji Tourism Development Program in Vanua Levu (Na Vualiku Project) is undertaking a feasibility study to assess how solar power can help reduce electricity costs, increase the use of clean energy, and support better public services in Labasa and Savusavu.
Savusavu Hospital has been included as one of the sites under assessment.
Image: Savusavu Hospital
Assessing Solar Power at Savusavu Hospital
This is particularly important for a key sub-divisional health facility that forms part of the wider public healthcare network in the Northern Division. In this context, reliable electricity is not only important for one facility. It supports continuity across a wider system of care.
Savusavu Hospital already relies on dedicated backup power arrangements during outages. The feasibility study is looking at whether solar PV can complement existing systems and provide additional resilience, while also considering the hospital’s building structures, electrical systems, future power needs, safety requirements, and long-term maintenance arrangements.
Why Rooftop Solar Is Being Considered
The current assessment is focused on rooftop solar because available land within the hospital site is limited and may be needed for future health service needs. Rooftop installation also offers a practical, lower-impact option for a working hospital environment.
The feasibility study is reviewing roof areas that are more suitable for assessment, including the central building with a newer roof and the main building above the Emergency Department, where roof upgrading is already underway.
Image: Google image of the Savusavu Hospital
Supporting Future Health Needs
The study will also consider practical needs such as vaccine refrigeration, emergency services, and the hospital’s future energy demand as services and equipment expand. If solar PV is installed, hospital electricians and relevant technical staff would be upskilled to support system monitoring and maintenance.
If the site meets the required technical, structural, financial, environmental, and social criteria, the next phase would move into detailed design, supply, and installation.
A Wider Shift Toward Resilient Energy
For patients sitting in a waiting room, for health workers responding to urgent needs, and for families depending on care during difficult moments, energy resilience is not an abstract issue. It is part of what allows a hospital to function when people need it most.
Fiji’s health sector is already moving toward cleaner and more resilient energy solutions, particularly for rural and maritime facilities.
This is part of the country’s broader commitment to increase renewable energy use, reduce dependence on imported fossil fuels, and strengthen climate resilience across essential public services. Fiji’s Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) Implementation Roadmap 2017–2030 targets close to 100 percent renewable energy power generation by 2030.
Recent solar installations at facilities such as Lomaloma Sub-Divisional Hospital in Vanuabalavu show how solar power can support 24/7 electricity, oxygen concentrators, refrigeration, and emergency care.
The assessment at Savusavu Hospital builds on this wider national shift by examining whether rooftop solar PV can safely and practically strengthen energy resilience at one of the Northern Division’s key sub-divisional health facilities.
Through this work, the Na Vualiku Project is supporting practical steps toward cleaner energy, lower operating costs, and more resilient public infrastructure and essential services in Vanua Levu.
The World Bank’s 6th Implementation Support Mission (ISM) for the Fiji Tourism Development Program in Vanua Levu (Na Vualiku Project), currently underway, brought together local leadership and stakeholders today to take stock of progress and keep delivery moving forward across key investments.
There was clear energy in the room, Labasa Town Council Chair Paul Jaduram, MT Association President Amelia Milia Simmons, business leaders, the Central Project Management Unit (CPMU), and the World Bank team coming together around a shared commitment to Labasa’s development.
What stood out was the pace of progress and how different pieces are starting to come together:
• Labasa Airport upgrades now completed — strengthening runway reliability and supporting more consistent operations • Cityscape improvements — moving forward to enhance public spaces and improve how people experience the town • Solar for municipal buildings — exploring practical solutions to strengthen energy resilience and reduce costs • Aviation feasibility study — looking ahead at future connectivity options for Vanua Levu
• MSME support — continuing to empower local businesses, with a strong focus on expanding opportunities for entrepreneurs, women, and youth • Integrated Tourism Master Plan (ITMP) — guiding long-term, coordinated planning for sustainable tourism development
What stood out most was the strong alignment and support across local stakeholders, reinforcing a shared vision for Labasa and the wider Vanua Levu.
Implementation Support Missions help sustain this momentum, ensuring that progress continues to move forward and deliver real, lasting benefits for communities.
Driving Delivery Forward: 4th Na Vualiku Project Steering Committee Meeting
The Na Vualiku Project convened its 4th Steering Committee Meeting yesterday at the Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation, bringing together members representing key government agencies and partners to review progress, address implementation challenges, and align on priorities for the next phase of delivery.
Work on the ground is picking up pace.
Since the previous meeting, the Project has continued to scale-up across multiple fronts, supported by strengthened capacity within the Central Project Management Unit (CPMU) and an expanding portfolio of activities.
Across the Project:
42 contracts have been signed to date, valued at USD 18.8 million
10 contracts are currently under implementation, valued at USD 14.1 million
These investments span infrastructure, planning, and community-focused initiatives, reflecting a coordinated approach to unlocking tourism potential while ensuring sustainability and resilience.
What this means for you:
More projects are moving from planning into implementation and works. This means services and improvements you can start to see soon and benefit from.
Progress Across Priority Areas – Here’s what is moving forward and why it matters:
The meeting highlighted steady progress across key sectors that underpin tourism development in Vanua Levu and Taveuni:
Aviation and Connectivity
Runway strengthening works at Labasa Airport have been completed, improving operational reliability.
Photos: Operational Labasa Airport
More planning is underway for future improvements, including feasibility studies for future aviation needs, such as a potential new airport and runway extensions to inform decisions, and a remote tower Automatic Flight Information Service (AFIS), are advancing, with key milestones expected in April–June 2026.
What this means for you:
Safer, more reliable flights, better connections, and easier travel for families, businesses, and visitors.
Resilient Infrastructure
The Labasa–Savusavu Cross-Island Road and scenic lookouts activity is scheduled for implementation in FY 2026–2027. Once underway, these upgrades will improve safety, enhance climate resilience, and create new opportunities for communities along the corridor, with four scenic lookouts in the pipeline.
Photos: The Labasa–Savusavu Cross-Island Road
Essential Services and Environmental Management
Work is underway to improve how waste is managed and how basic services are delivered.
Solid waste management planning is progressing, with stakeholder engagement at its forefront, focusing on both immediate improvements and long-term infrastructure solutions, with initial upgrade works expected to commence in late 2026. Sanitation planning and solar feasibility studies for public buildings in Labasa and Savusavu are also advancing, with feasibility work targeted for completion by mid-2026, supporting more efficient and sustainable service delivery.
What this means for you:
Cleaner communities, better public services, and lower energy costs over time.
Strategic Planning for Long-Term Growth
A long-term tourism plan is being developed to guide growth over the next 25 years, with completion expected by January 2027.
An environmental and social assessment will be finalised by April 2026 to make sure development protects land, culture, and communities.
What this means for you:
Tourism growth will be properly planned, avoid harm to the environment and communities, and bring real benefits to local people.
Expanding Opportunities for Communities
Ensuring that tourism growth translates into tangible local benefits remains central to the Project.
The MSME and Community-Based Tourism (CBT) support programs have generated strong interest, with over 300 applications received for grants and capacity building initiatives. These programs are designed to strengthen local enterprises, including women-led businesses, and enable greater participation in the tourism economy.
Next steps include finalising beneficiary selection, mobilising delivery partners, and commencing rollout in May–June 2026.
Strengthening the Evidence Base
Work is underway to strengthen the data and evidence that underpin Project delivery. The Baseline Study will establish key indicators across infrastructure, services, employment, and MSMEs, with completion expected by June 2026, while improvements to the International Visitor Survey will enhance insights into visitor expenditure, experience, and behaviour.
These efforts will support more informed decision-making and ensure that progress can be measured over time.
Coordinated Delivery and Key Challenges
The Steering Committee continues to play a critical role in ensuring alignment, oversight, and timely decision-making across agencies and partners.
Looking Ahead
Work will continue to accelerate over the coming months, with more projects moving into delivery.
The focus remains simple:better infrastructure, stronger local businesses, and protecting what makes Vanua Levu and Taveuni special.
An international aviation consultancy, AirBiz, specialising in airport planning and development, is currently undertaking a feasibility study to assess future aviation needs in Vanua Levu.
This includes a feasibility study for a potential new airport in Vanua Levu, an air connectivity study for Taveuni Island, and the development of master plans for Labasa and Matei airports.
Following its kickoff meeting in January 2026 and submission of the Draft Inception Report in February, the team is progressing technical work, including field visits to Matei and Labasa airports, as well as assessments of four potential sites for a possible new airport in Vanua Levu.
Engagement is ongoing with government agencies, local councils, landowning units of potential sites, and industry stakeholders across the Northern Division to ensure the study reflects operational requirements, growth projections, and local context.
In parallel, a separate team is consulting stakeholders in Suva and Nadi, along with Fiji Airports management and technical teams, to inform the analysis.
This work is part of a feasibility assessment only. Once completed, the report will be presented to Cabinet with options and recommendations.
☀️Energy costs are on everyone’s mind nowadays given the ongoing hostilities in the Middle East and current global energy crisis . While the #NaVualikuProject’s feasibility study on rooftop solar across municipal buildings in Labasa and Savusavu was already underway, it is now more relevant than ever.
🤝 Over two days of consultations in Labasa and Savusavu, this work moved from technical analysis to real conversations. Consultants from Elemental Group Ltd met with market vendors, tenants of municipal buildings, and Town Councils, ensuring the feasibility study is shaped not just by data, but by how these spaces are used by ordinary people every day.
👥 With our stakeholders, market vendors and tenants, the discussions quickly turned practical. In Labasa, conversations focused on space, how equipment might fit within already busy market areas, and what that means for daily operations. Vendors also explored what solar energy could enable, from powering sewing machines in the handicraft market to supporting refrigeration and lighting during outages. At the same time, there was a clear understanding that benefits would be shared, improving services across the facility rather than providing individual access.
👥 In Savusavu, the response was overwhelmingly positive. Vendors recognised the value of reducing energy costs for the Town Council and what that could mean for the wider community. There was strong interest and enthusiasm, particularly in knowing that the infrastructure would be financed through the Project, removing the need for fundraising while still delivering tangible improvements. Conversations also touched on resilience, and the importance of planning infrastructure that can support communities during disruptions and disasters.
🏛️ Alongside these discussions, Town Councils, as eventual asset owners, focused on the longer-term picture. How will these systems be managed? What will operations and maintenance require? And, most importantly, how can savings be redirected to improve services? In Labasa, high energy costs, particularly from floodlighting at Subrail Park, stood out as a clear opportunity where solar could make a difference. The need to align with other infrastructure projects and plan for growing demand also came through strongly.
⚙️ At its core, the feasibility study is testing what is possible. It is assessing selected municipal sites across Labasa and Savusavu, examining technical suitability, energy demand, system design, and long-term financial viability. The aim is simple: to ensure that any future investment is practical, sustainable, and delivers real value.
🌱 If deemed suitable, rooftop solar systems could be installed from late 2026. But the outcome is bigger than infrastructure. It is about turning savings into services, strengthening public facilities, and ensuring municipal buildings work harder for the communities they serve.
Communities are clear: tourism must grow in a way that protects people, land, and livelihoods.
More than 120 stakeholders across Labasa, Bua, Savusavu, and Taveuni have validated key findings of the Strategic Environmental and Social Assessment (SESA), highlighting the need to actively manage environmental and social risks as tourism grows.
The SESA is informing tourism development to help protect communities, land, and livelihoods, while ensuring risks are identified early and addressed through planning.
