Integrated Tourism Master Plan (ITMP): Planning for Sustainable Tourism Growth in Vanua Levu and Taveuni
Following the wide consultations held last year, the ITMP team carried out further community engagements across Macuata earlier this year.
Consultations were well attended, with strong representation from community leaders, including women, youth, and persons with disabilities. Communities are now better informed of the project objectives and phases.
The team noted strong buy-in and ownership, alongside the need to balance tourism opportunities with protecting and preserving natural as well as cultural assets since cultural tourism options are being explored.
Cultural mapping was used during these sessions to systematically document both tangible and intangible cultural assets, including sites of significance, stories, traditions, and traditional knowledge, as well as potential opportunities for kayaking, surfing, trekking, eco-tourism and backpacker sites.
These sessions generated valuable conversations and inputs. In Nadogo District, for example, Kavewa Island Eco Sanctuary has already mapped sites including a turtle nesting site, a Lapita pottery site, and a locally managed marine area. Such information will help strengthen planning, responsible development, and heritage conservation through the ITMP process.
Discover how the Na Vualiku Project is shaping the future of tourism in Vanua Levu and Taveuni! Through a series of dynamic workshops, community voices are coming together to define a shared vision for sustainable tourism that reflects local aspirations. Participants, including community representatives and tourism operators, are mapping existing assets and identifying new opportunities while prioritizing the protection of natural and cultural treasures. Join us in exploring how these collaborative efforts will guide the Integrated Tourism Master Plan, ensuring that tourism development supports local livelihoods and fosters economic growth. Dive into the details and be part of this transformative journey!
Second ITMP Advisory Group Meeting: Advancing the Integrated Tourism Master Plan for Vanua Levu and Taveuni
The second meeting of the Integrated Tourism Master Plan (ITMP) Advisory Group was held this month, bringing together key stakeholders to review progress and provide strategic guidance for the development of the Integrated Tourism Master Plan for Vanua Levu and Taveuni.
🗂️ The Advisory Group plays an important oversight role in the planning process, ensuring that community consultations, technical assessments, and sector priorities are properly reflected as the Plan is developed.
💬 Discussions focused on feedback from recent community engagements, emerging planning directions, and the integration of environmental and social considerations to support responsible, sustainable tourism growth.
🌿 Why this matters: strong governance and informed oversight help ensure the final Plan is practical, locally grounded, and aligned with the long-term interests of Vanua Levu.
Tourism opportunities in Vanua Levu are expanding. The challenge is ensuring growth is carefully planned so communities benefit, risks are managed early, and the region’s cultural and natural assets are protected.
The #NaVualikuProject team met with Divisional Planning Officer Ms Ruci Daveta to align local priorities with long-term tourism planning.
Teams engaged to develop the Integrated Tourism Master Plan were present to listen and accurately capture divisional priorities, including the Strategic Environmental and Social Assessment team reinforcing environmental and social safeguards within the planning process.
This approach ensures the Plan reflects what matters most to communities and stakeholders across Vanua Levu.
10 September, 2025 – Suva, Fiji – Fiji will soon have its first Integrated Tourism Master Plan for Vanua Levu, a twenty-five year blueprint to transform the North into a leading sustainable tourism destination.
To develop this Master Plan, the Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation has appointed HIDRIA-IOS, a joint venture between HIDRIA Ciencia Ambiente y Desarrollo of Spain and IOS Partners of the United States, with EcoConsult Pacific of Fiji as subconsultant, under the World Bank-financed Fiji Tourism Development Program in Vanua Levu (Na Vualiku Project).
The Master Plan will provide a comprehensive framework for growth across Savusavu, Labasa, Taveuni and the Natewa Peninsula. It will ensure that development is resilient, inclusive, and climate-smart, aligning new public and private investments with the protection of Vanua Levu’s unique natural and cultural assets, while creating economic opportunities for local communities.
Tourism in Vanua Levu has significant untapped potential. Although it attracts some of Fiji’s highest-spending visitors, it currently accounts for only a small share of international arrivals. The Master Plan will chart a course to unlock this potential by improving access, diversifying visitor experiences, and building the foundations for sustainable, community-based tourism that benefits all Fijians, with a particular focus on opportunities for women entrepreneurs and community-based tourism organisations.
The consultancy will run for sixteen months and be delivered in eight phases. Starting with data collection and assessments, it will move through growth forecasts, development options, and detailed town plans, before tackling infrastructure planning, marketing, institutional reforms and training. The Master Plan is expected to be completed by January, 2027.
The Plan will be developed through extensive stakeholder engagement across Vanua Levu and Taveuni, including workshops and talanoa sessions, to place communities, civil society, and the private sector at the centre of the process.
The consortium brings together a wealth of international and local expertise. HIDRIA has more than two decades of experience in sustainable tourism, environmental planning and master planning across Europe, Latin America, Africa, and Asia. IOS Partners contributes deep knowledge of infrastructure, aviation, and economic planning, with prior experience in Fiji and other Small Island Developing States. EcoConsult Pacific adds local expertise and networks, ensuring the Master Plan is firmly grounded in the realities and aspirations of communities in Vanua Levu and Taveuni.
Acting Prime Minister and Minister for Tourism and Civil Aviation, Hon Viliame Gavoka, welcomed the HIDRIA-IOS team to Fiji to begin the groundwork.
“The Integrated Tourism Master Plan will be a milestone for Vanua Levu and the Northern Division. It will give us a clear direction for tourism growth that protects our environment, supports our people, and creates opportunities for future generations,” he said.
“The appointment of HIDRIA-IOS, supported by EcoConsult Pacific, reflects our commitment to combining world-class expertise with deep local knowledge. This Master Plan is not just about visitor numbers. It is about people, culture and resilience and together, we will chart a course for climate-smart, inclusive tourism that benefits every Fijian in the North,” he added.
From today, the HIDRIA-IOS team is on the ground in Vanua Levu to begin their initial work and community consultations. The Ministry invites all stakeholders and communities across Vanua Levu to take part in shaping this Master Plan.
.JPG.aspx?maxsidesize=700){kind=link}