LABASA’S ambitions to emerge as a premier eco-tourism hub will have to overcome a major hurdle as business leaders caution that plans to improve infrastructure may leave the town unable to meet growing visitor demand.
Businesswoman Amelia Simmons said the North’s tourism industry was at a critical crossroad.
“We are trying to push eco-tourism development in Labasa and the North, and this situation will further discourage tourism growth,” she said.
Ms Simmons pointed to key attractions such as Floating Island and Nag Mandir, both located across the river, as particularly vulnerable should access be disrupted.
She warned that restricted connectivity could trigger cancelled bookings, delay new investment and slow economic activity not only in Labasa, but across Macuata Province.
“The likely increase in cancellations will push the North further behind. We could even end up going back to ideas like the ‘Look North’ project, which never materialised.”
Her concerns follow plans to close the town’s main bridge for upgrades, with a temporary bypass bridge proposed along the Nakorotari to Siberia road.
Tourism and business stakeholders are calling on authorities to adopt a comprehensive, long-term strategy rather than incremental fixes.
“There is always a tendency to fix one problem now and promise to come back to the next one later. There is a need to address it all at once.”
The Fiji Roads Auhority maintains that the planned Bailey bridge will be capable of carrying current traffic loads and could last between 50 and 80 years, noting similar bypass solutions have previously supported heavy transport operations in the North.
