Fiji has launched the Nasaulevu Integrated Tourism Development Masterplan, a landmark tourism project aimed at creating a new tourism and investment hub while placing indigenous landowners at the centre of development.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Tourism and Civil Aviation Viliame Gavoka unveiled the masterplan on 19 June at Navoci Village in Nadi, describing it as the beginning of a new phase that will require strong governance, community unity and effective implementation.
The masterplan covers Nasaulevu Island, a 747-acre site located opposite Denarau Port Marina, one of Fiji's premier tourism gateways.
Prepared by global consultancy ARUP in partnership with the Fiji National Provident Fund (FNPF) and the Nakovacake Development Trust, the masterplan was funded through a USD 400,000 grant from the Asian Development Bank (ADB).
The initiative is being promoted as Fiji's first tourism development blueprint of its scale to integrate indigenous landowners, institutional investors and international technical expertise from the outset.
A central feature of the project is its landowner-led development model, under which the Vanua of Nakovacake will play a direct role in planning, governance and economic participation.
Officials say the approach is designed to ensure local communities benefit from future tourism growth while maintaining a stake in the long-term development of their customary land.
Speaking at the launch, Gavoka said the completion of the masterplan marked the transition from planning to implementation.
"This launch is not an ending. It is the start of a more demanding phase requiring unity, sound governance and a clear path from concept to construction," he told community members.
The Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation said it would continue supporting the project as it moves toward delivery and investment attraction.
The development is expected to strengthen Fiji's tourism sector by creating new opportunities for accommodation, recreation, marine tourism and supporting infrastructure near the country's busiest tourism corridor.
Tourism remains a key pillar of Fiji's economy, contributing significantly to employment, foreign exchange earnings and economic growth. The government has identified sustainable tourism development and greater participation by indigenous landowners as priorities for the sector's future expansion.
The Nasaulevu masterplan is expected to serve as a model for future tourism developments in Fiji by combining community ownership, institutional investment and international planning expertise within a single development framework.
