Tourism Fiji’s chief executive officer Brent Hill said the recent $10 million Beachcomber Island Resort renovation works are set to positively impact the trajectory of Fiji’s tourism sector.
The cost of the phase for renovation works is pegged at approximately $4 million and the second phase at $6 million. The resort was put up for sale by its previous owners in 2020 for $25million.
While addressing the media in a press conference on Tuesday, Mr Hill said such investments were vital for Fiji.
“This is exactly the type of investment and exactly the type of people or company that we want to actually bring to Fiji.
“We want people who have got a track record of enhancing products.
“We want to see people that are willing to put money in and who really also take the time to understand the culture and what makes Fiji so special.”
He commended the new owners Brendon and Mark Deeley for consulting the local communities to ensure traditional protocol was followed.
“We appreciate that there is so much great investment that is coming into Fiji. Some of these assets, like Beachcomber, have been tourism gems for years, but have recently sort of fallen to a level that wasn’t really acceptable for us and you could see that with some of the reviews.”
He said Tourism Fiji was also able to see the Deeley brothers’ vision for Beachcomber Island Resort.
“When you’ve got a property as beautiful as that close to the mainland, it demands having owners that really invest in it and really want to take it to where it should be, which is what the guys are all about.
“From our perspective, this ticks all the boxes that we could possibly ask for. We have a strategic priority around investment and getting the right people in.”
Mr Hill said locals would also benefit from the expansion employment-wise.
