By Riya Bhagwan
LONG seen as a quiet, small and tranquil town nestled among lush mountains with a simple, peaceful lifestyle, Macuata is now rapidly evolving and positioning itself as a centre of attraction in the Northern Division.
This comes as the Macuata Tourism Association (MTA), soon to be formalised as the Macuata Tourism Council, pushes ahead with developments aimed at sparking a major ecotourism boost in the region.
For a long time, it has been generally agreed that Macuata, because of its natural beauty, has the potential for both local and international tourism, especially among the Fijian diaspora.
It is only now that some meaningful projects are being developed, with budgetary support and World Bank funding of $200 million finalised recently.
Development details
MTA Secretary Amelia Simmons outlined several projects in an interview with Wansolwara, as part of our ‘Focus on the North’ coverage.
There are major plans for the famous Floating Island, including walking planks, an upgraded access road and a visitor centre, to make this site, which is popular with visitors, more accessible, comfortable and appealing.
As Ms Simmons said, visitors deserve better standards, which will, in turn, attract even more tourists.
A parking facility is also proposed for the Nagigi Naag Mandir, along with small discovery expedition cruises for 200–300 visitors.
Further upgrades are planned for the Three Sisters Mountain and the Waiqele and Tambia hot springs.
Labasa Town Council Special Administrator and MTA President Paul Jaduram confirmed that a $3.25m grant facilitated by former finance minister Biman Prasad will support these projects, which will be implemented with sustainability in mind.
To safeguard environmental protection, environmental stewards will play a central role in the Council, which will also generate income for the community and encourage them to protect the environment as a source of tourism.
Ms Simmons stressed that extensive feedback would be sought from a wide range of community and industry representatives.
These include members from designated ecotourism sites, landowners, the Commissioner Northern, the Divisional Planning Officer, Labasa’s business community and ratepayers, as well as other key individuals, all of whom will serve as key stakeholders in the Council.
Growth benefits
These developments are expected to generate year-round income and provide a much-needed economic boost for Labasa, helping the town overcome its current challenges caused by heavy reliance on a single industry, sugar.
“Labasa relies heavily on the sugar mill, and as a result, when the mill is running, business thrives, but as soon as it stops, the town feels the impact.
“That’s why there is a frantic push for us to develop ecotourism in Macuata,” said Ms Simmons.
A former journalist with Communications Fiji Ltd in the 1980s, Ms Simmons, who is originally from Labasa, returned from the United States of America to reinvest in her hometown.
Speaking on the impact of the planned developments, she said: “We envision that over the next five years, ecotourism in Macuata will be booming, and this will change the dynamics for the Northern Division.
“It will encourage people to move from the mainland and even entice Fijians living in New Zealand, Australia and the United States to return home. People will want to come back, even if only for six months.”
Ms Simmons said this would inject significant revenue into the economy, giving it a much-needed boost.
Challenges
The MTA Secretary noted, however, that the town must overcome existing infrastructural challenges to fully realise the benefits of increased tourism.
“The community has been pushing for a bypass road for 40 years with little progress, and only recently has the government announced plans for a new bypass road and bridge,” she highlighted.
Upgrades to transport facilities are also an important aspect when looking at such developments, she emphasised.
“With an expected influx of visitors, these structural issues need to be addressed now to ensure the smooth development of tourism in the region.”
Mr Jaduram expressed concern about Labasa being consistently sidelined in government development plans, claiming that the bulk of the US$200m World Bank grant for northern projects was directed towards Savusavu.
“Much of the World Bank grant allocation went to Savusavu – that is not the North,” he asserted.
In response, former finance minister Mr Prasad acknowledged that while the North had been neglected, this trend had shifted under recent policies.
“In the last three years, our policies and budgetary allocations have boosted economic activities and investment in Vanua Levu,” he said.
Mr Prasad highlighted that the 10-year World Bank tourism project, which is currently under way, will bring significant benefits for the town in the coming years.
Tourism’s ripple effect
The developments are set to further boost investor confidence in the town.
“Once the upgrades to these major tourism sites take place, more people will be encouraged to build their businesses in Labasa,” the MTA Secretary stated.
Shedding light on the town’s accommodation capacity to handle the expected wave of arrivals, Ms Simmons noted that there is currently limited business potential to attract new investment.
“Right now, we don’t have enough demand. Mostly it’s government ministers moving back and forth, with only a handful of local and international tourists.
“That level of activity isn’t enough to encourage people to invest in building their businesses here,” she said.
However, as the planned tourism projects take off, other businesses are set to follow suit, confident they will reap the benefits.
Ramada Encore by Wyndham at Damodar City Labasa, operated by Damodar North Pte Limited, is the first international hotel brand in Labasa.
Meanwhile, the Charan Jeath Singh Group has invested $5m to expand the Grand Eastern Hotel to meet rising accommodation demand in Labasa this year.
The tourism projects will also pave the way for additional infrastructural developments, bringing substantial benefits to the town.
This article was first published on Wansolwara News and has been republished with permission.
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