Savusavu will have its first Participatory Sanitation Master Plan through the World Bank-financed Na Vualiku Project.
The 10-month technical assessment has started and will help understand the town’s current wastewater situation, assess practical options, and guide future sanitation decisions.
This work is important because sanitation may not always be visible, but it protects public health, households, businesses, the environment and Savusavu Bay.
The technical assessment will also help inform possible wastewater and faecal sludge treatment infrastructure under Phase II of the Fiji Tourism Development Program in Vanua Levu.
This week, the Na Vualiku Project team, sanitation technical experts and Water Authority of Fiji colleagues are in Savusavu carrying out technical discussions, stakeholder engagement and site visits as part of this work.
The team has engaged with the Cakaudrove Provincial Administrator’s Office, Macuata Provincial Council Office, community representatives, the Savusavu Public Health team, the Savusavu Town Council CEO and Health Inspector, members of the Northern Solid Waste Task Force, the Savusavu Chamber of Commerce and other key stakeholders.
Earlier in Suva, the team also engaged with key government and technical agencies, including the Department of Environment, Department of Lands, iTaukei Land Trust Board, iTaukei Affairs, and the Department of Water and Sewerage.
The team also visited the existing Nawi Island treatment facility to better understand current infrastructure and operational arrangements.
These engagements and site visits are part of the first step in the 10-month technical process — listening, understanding current conditions, assessing options carefully, and building the evidence needed for better sanitation services, stronger future infrastructure, and a cleaner, healthier Savusavu.
Keep an eye out for an upcoming interview with the team explaining what the Savusavu Participatory Sanitation Master Plan is, why Savusavu needs one, and how this work will support future sanitation decisions.
Come and visit our booth, meet the team, and learn more about the Fiji Tourism Development Program in Vanua Levu, particularly our MSME Support Program and what it means for tourism MSMEs and community-based tourism operators across Vanua Levu and Taveuni.
Whether you are a small business owner, tourism operator, community representative or simply interested in what’s happening under Na Vualiku — we’d love to meet you.
Come by, say hello, and have a chat with us today.
Why Targeted Support for MSMEs is the Key to Sustainable Tourism in the North
The true driving force of tourism in Vanua Levu and Taveuni lies in the resourcefulness of our local entrepreneurs: our Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), the craftship of our women’s cultural enterprises, and the shared custodianship and stewardship of our community-based tourism (CBT) communities.
These innovators already possess the talent, vision, and cultural heritage that make the Northern Division unforgettable. However, scaling an enterprise comes with distinct structural challenges. Even the most driven business owners encounter hurdles when trying to fund infrastructure upgrades, master complex regulatory compliance, or break into competitive digital marketplaces.
The Na Vualiku Project’s MSME and CBT Support Program was designed to address these exact gaps; not by changing the core of these businesses, but by providing the resources and expertise they need to scale on their own terms.
MSMEs, women’s cultural enterprises, and CBT operators across Vanua Levu and Taveuni could apply for targeted training and funding for small-scale infrastructure for selected CBT operators under the Na Vualiku MSME and CBT Support Program. It aims to strengthen local tourism businesses, improve visitor experiences, and ensure that tourism growth delivers direct benefits to communities at the grassroots level.
Through the Program, MSMEs, women’s cultural enterprises, and CBT operators will access capacity-building support covering business registration and regulatory compliance, financial literacy and record-keeping, marketing and digital promotion, tourism quality standards, and business readiness for financing and investment.
Following the official launch of the program in December 2025, by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Tourism and Civil Aviation, Hon. Viliame Gavoka, local operators across Labasa, Savusavu, and Taveuni responded with immense enthusiasm. This groundswell of local interest culminated in a highly successful application window closing on February 13, 2026.
Strong Demand for MSME Support Program Out of a total of 315 applications received under the MSME and Community-Based Tourism (CBT) Support Program, around 30% were for the Community-Based Tourism Grant component, while about 70% were for the Capacity Building component.
The strong response reflects the deep interest and demand among local businesses, women-led enterprises, and community-based tourism operators who participated in outreach sessions and completed the application process. It also points to a clear need for both community-based tourism support and broader business development assistance to improve products, services, systems, and market readiness. As our teams travel across the North for field visits this month, we are focusing on how the Program’s two core components work together to unlock this local potential:
🛠️ Unleashing Potential: CBT Infrastructure Upgrades Great visitor experiences require functional, sustainable spaces. Through the capital grant component of the MSME and CBT Support Program, selected community-owned enterprises will be supported to upgrade their physical properties. From developing low-impact eco-trails and clear signage to installing renewable energy solutions and modern waste management facilities, such structural enhancements would allow communities to welcome visitors safely while protecting their natural resources.
📊 Sharpening the Operational Edge: Strategy & Capacity Building In tandem with infrastructure, local business owners are continually refining their management systems. By working one-on-one with specialized Business Development Service (BDS) advisors through our program, selected entrepreneurs would master practical tools for long-term success. Such hands-on mentorship will cover everything from financial record-keeping and strategic pricing to digital promotion and investment readiness.
The Broader Impact: Grassroots Self-Reliance When local businesses are equipped with the right infrastructure and strategic tools, the entire northern tourism model permanently shifts from a top-down industry into a grassroots movement. True sustainability cannot be bought or imported; it is forged by keeping local ownership and local hands at the absolute center of economic growth. As DPM Gavoka emphasized during the initial December roll-out, “Tourism thrives when our communities thrive.”
Responding to the overwhelming demand, the Na Vualiku Project is doing more than just supporting local businesses; we are helping create pathways to anchor economic benefits of tourism directly within the villages, families, and valleys of Vanua Levu and Taveuni. Empowering these local creators ensures that the growth of the North remains self-reliant, resilient, and proudly driven by the very people who make the “Friendly North” extraordinary.
Elevating Environmental Standards to Safeguard Fiji’s Tourism Value: 🌿 Landfills vs. Dumps
The true foundation of a thriving, world-class tourism industry lies not just in pristine reef systems, lush rainforests, and world-renowned hospitality, but in how meticulously we safeguard our natural assets.
Sustainable growth requires robust public infrastructure capable of preserving the very environment that draws visitors from around the globe. However, regional growth introduces real structural pressures on environmental health, particularly regarding how waste is managed. Traditional rubbish disposal methods are increasingly unsuited to meet the needs of growing municipalities and modern tourism standards.
Protecting the “Friendly North” starts with building the right infrastructure to keep our environment pristine! 🌿🗑️
The Na Vualiku Project’s Solid Waste Management initiative is designed to modernize the infrastructure needed to transition the Northern Division toward an engineered, sustainable waste system.
Following initial, extensive stakeholder consultations and site visits, the Project is advancing strategic technical assessments and practical options tailored for Labasa, Savusavu, Taveuni, and surrounding areas. This groundswell of preparatory planning ensures that our upcoming interventions directly serve the needs of local towns and traditional custodians alike.
Understanding the Infrastructure Shift: Dumps vs. Engineered Landfills
A rubbish dump and a landfill may sound similar, but they are completely different in how they protect people, land, water, and our shared environment:
The Traditional Rubbish Dump: Typically an open or poorly controlled site where waste is placed with limited planning, engineering, or protective barriers. These unmanaged sites create foul odors, attract disease-carrying pests, release smoke if burned, and critically allow toxic, polluted liquid to seep into soil, rivers, groundwater, and pristine coastal ecosystems.
The Engineered Landfill: A highly planned, modern facility engineered to control exactly where waste goes, how it is compacted, and how it is covered. Proper landfills utilize sophisticated containment designs to capture contaminated liquid and runoff, implement waste sorting and drainage systems, ensure strict access control, and utilize long-term site monitoring to keep nearby communities and natural ecosystems safe.
Turning Plans Into Action: The Timeline
Moving from administrative planning to active delivery, our project timelines are geared toward making an immediate, practical impact:
July 2026 Milestone: The Project is on track to officially identify immediate, early improvements that can be executed directly at current disposal facilities.
November 2026 Mobilization: Ground works are expected to commence on-site for these early improvements, establishing an operational bridge while technical planning continues on the long-term, engineered regional waste management infrastructure options.
The Broader Impact: Securing the Future of Northern Tourism
Sustainability cannot be bought or imported; it is forged by protecting the health of our communities, keeping our towns clean, and safeguarding the natural assets of Vanua Levu and Taveuni.
Through the #NaVualikuProject work is underway to plan a safer, cleaner solid waste management system across Labasa, Savusavu, and Taveuni. Our goals go far beyond simply finding more space for trash; together with stakeholders, we are planning a sustainable infrastructure that mitigates environmental risks and protects our town ecosystems.
📍Across #VanuaLevu and #Taveuni, communities are working hard to grow their community-based tourism products and experiences so that they are locally led, culturally grounded, and connected to real opportunities for families, villages, and MSMEs.
As part of our #MSME and Community-Based Tourism (CBT) Support Program’s screening and assessment process, the Na Vualiku Project team has begun visiting shortlisted applicants under the CBT Grant component.
These visits are helping the team meet the people behind the applications, understand their tourism activities, assess their readiness, and identify the type of support that could help them strengthen infrastructure and services, enhance visitor experiences, build resilience, and create more value for their communities and the wider tourism industry in the North. 🤝🌿
Ninety five applications were received under the Na Vualiku CBT Program, showing strong interest from communities wanting to participate more meaningfully in the North’s tourism growth.
These site visits do not confirm final selection. They form part of the due diligence process to assess eligibility, readiness, the type of support required, and to identify eligible beneficiaries for CBT grant assistance.
Shortlisted applicants have been contacted directly from the Project team.
Through the Fiji Tourism Development Program in Vanua Levu, the Na Vualiku Project aims to support #communitybasedtourism operators, #MSMEs, and #womenledenterprises to build stronger businesses, improve livelihoods, and contribute to tourism development that delivers broader benefits for families, communities, and the local economy.
Watch this video to learn more about progress at Labasa Airport under the World Bank-financed Fiji Tourism Development Program in Vanua Levu, locally known as the Na Vualiku Project.
Through the Na Vualiku Project, work is underway to support better solid waste management planning for the Northern Division.
This includes technical assessments, site visits, stakeholder discussions, and analysis of practical options for Labasa, Savusavu, Taveuni, and surrounding areas.
The goal is not simply to find more space for waste. It is to plan a safer, cleaner, and more sustainable system that reduces environmental risks, protects communities, and supports the long-term growth of tourism and local development across Vanua Levu and Taveuni.
Better waste management is essential for healthier communities, cleaner towns, protected natural assets, and a stronger tourism future. Read more in our latest newsletter: https://navualiku.com/newsletters/
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.
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.
Read more in our latest newsletter: 
