Limited air connectivity has long constrained tourism growth and economic opportunities across Fiji’s Northern Division.

The #NaVualikuProject is helping address this challenge through coordinated investments to strengthen aviation infrastructure and improve access to the North.

At Labasa Airport, critical runway strengthening works are underway from 16 February to 27 March 2026. The upgrade will improve safety and increase the runway’s load-bearing capacity, allowing it to accommodate ATR 72 aircraft once completed. Fiji Airports is working closely with airline partners and transport providers to ensure alternative travel options remain available during the temporary closure.

Further improvements are also being designed for Labasa and Savusavu airports, including a new terminal building for Savusavu Airport. In parallel, installation of a Remote Tower Aerodrome Flight Information System (AFIS) at Labasa Airport will begin early this year, enabling modern remote monitoring and management of air traffic to enhance aviation safety.

Assessments for a potential new domestic airport for Vanua Levu are also expected to begin soon.

Together, these investments are strengthening safety, expanding connectivity, and supporting the long-term growth of tourism and local economic opportunities in the Northern Division.

During their visit to Vanua Levu, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Tourism and Civil Aviation Hon. Viliame Gavoka, together with Carlos Felipe Jaramillo, World Bank Vice President for the East Asia and Pacific Region, Gallina A. Vincelette, World Bank Vice President for Operations Policy and Country Services, and Sarvesh Suri, IFC Regional Vice President for Asia and the Pacific, were updated by our implementing partner, Fiji Airports on progress toward these critical aviation investments.

NaVualiku #VanuaLevu #Aviation #TourismDevelopment

Works have commenced on runway pavement strengthening at Labasa Airport, with a temporary closure in effect from today until 27 March 2026. 🚧✈️

✅ Why this matters:
These works are essential safety upgrades designed to strengthen the runway structure, support long-term operational performance, and ensure continued compliance with international aviation safety standards. This investment helps protect reliable air connectivity for the Northern Division well into the future.

🌴 Keeping Vanua Levu connected:
To minimise disruption during the closure period, more than 40 additional flights to and from Savusavu Airport have been arranged in close collaboration with airline partners and key stakeholders.

🗣️ Have feedback or concerns?
We are committed to transparency and accountability. Any grievances, questions, or feedback related to the works can be formally submitted through the official Grievance Redress and Feedback Portal:
🔗 https://navualiku.com/grievance-redress-feedback-portal/

Thank you for your patience as these important works are delivered to improve safety, reliability, and resilience for our communities.

A new feasibility study to help reduce electricity costs, increase the use of clean energy, and improve community services across Labasa and Savusavu.

The Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation (MTCA), through the Fiji Tourism Development Program in Vanua Levu (Na Vualiku Project), has commenced a feasibility study to assess solar power options for  key municipal buildings in Labasa and Savusavu in Vanua Levu. 

The study responds to ongoing challenges in the North, including where municipal councils face high energy costs to power public infrastructure such as markets, bus stands, and parks, vulnerability to supply disruptions due to reliance on diesel-based electricity generation and exposure to climate related hazards. 

Elemental Power and Renewables, a consulting group based in New Zealand, which has been engaged to carry out the feasibility study, is in Vanua Levu already assessing whether solar photovoltaic (PV) systems can be installed safely and effectively at selected sites.

The team began its first on-the-ground stakeholder meetings in Suva with key organisations including Energy Fiji Limited (EFL), the Fijian Competition and Consumer Commission (FCCC), and the Department of Environment. These discussions support early alignment on technical requirements, regulatory considerations, and safe grid integration options.

The feasibility study will provide the technical and financial information needed to guide next steps for solar PV installations in Labasa and Savusavu.

When public buildings and facilities pay high power bills, it reduces the resources available for other essential services. Solar power can help lower operating costs over time, which may allow facilities to reinvest in improvements that benefit the public.

This feasibility study also supports Fiji’s shift toward cleaner, more sustainable energy. That means less reliance on traditional energy sources and more long-term resilience for public infrastructure, especially as communities face rising costs and changing climate conditions.

In Vanua Levu, the team is carrying out technical site inspections and collecting detailed data on power use as well as weather patterns. The team will also be considering the structural integrity of the structures to accommodate solar panels. The feasibility study will investigate and identify possible options for solar PV installation for Savusavu and Labasa Municipality areas.

The study will also include environmental and social risk screening, financial and economic analysis, and the preparation of procurement-ready documents to support the next steps. Stakeholder engagement and capacity building will form a critical part of the assignment.

The Na Vualiku Project is a government-led initiative designed to unlock the sustainable tourism potential of Vanua Levu and Taveuni. The Project is funded through a loan from the World Bank and is implemented by the Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation as the lead agency, in collaboration with Fiji Airports and Fiji Roads Authority.

The project is supporting work by Airports Fiji to improve the airports of Labasa and Savusavu.

The project is supporting work to improve waste management in Vanua Levu through the following activities

The project is supporting work by the Fiji Roads Authority to improve the Cross Island Road. The improvements include design and supervision, and road works.