A family-owned tour business has expanded to Suva with the opening of its new office at the Unity House on Robertson Road on Wednesday.
Dakuwaqa Investment, which started with only one twin cab vehicle during inception three years ago, has now expanded its fleet to 12 vehicles, and its workforce of 12 drivers and two administration officers.
Founder and owner Vuniani Dakuwaqa said personal challenges had forced him to walk away from his mechanical engineering profession and to return to his village of Nataleira in Tailevu.
“I am a graduate mechanical engineer from the University of the South Pacific and I worked in several companies but due to some personal challenges, I came back to the village,” Mr Dakuwaqa said.
“And I came to a point where I had nothing.”
Mr Dakuwaqa said he started his yaqona farm in his village, and three years after, invested around $40,000 to $60,000 from his first harvest to start his business.
Dakuwaqa Investment specialises in safe and reliable door-to-door transfers, day trips, customised travel, including scenic tours and community development projects.
He said they operated from Nataleira, and the demand of their services prompted the opening of their office in Suva for customers to easily access their service.
Meanwhile, Mr Dakuwaqa said his business was also being affected by the increase in fuel prices resulting from the geopolitical tensions in the Middle East.
While he did not reveal details of the monetary costs to their operation, said “we are spending more money on fuelling our vehicles”.
The company charges different fares depending on the activity and the pick up points, and he said they had increased their fares by $10 across the board to be able to cope up with increased costs.
He said he also used proceeds from the farm to support the tour business.
The newly opened Dakuwaqa Investments office at the Unity House in Suva. Picture: KARISHMA KUMARI
