FIJI’S luxury tourism sector is set for a major boost with the redevelopment of The Westin Denarau Island Resort & Spa into a 282-room property, strengthening the country’s high-end accommodation offering.
The redevelopment is expected to support economic activity, create employment opportunities and increase the quality and diversity of accommodation available to international visitors.
Finance Minister Esrom Immanuel and Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Tourism and Civil Aviation Viliame Gavoka recently inspected progress on the redevelopment of the Denarau Island property, formerly known as the Regent.
The resort is one of the earliest properties established on Denarau Island.
Major upgrade works began in 2023, with the redevelopment aimed at transforming the property to meet the changing expectations of Fiji’s international visitor market.
The investment is expected to further strengthen Denarau’s position as one of Fiji’s premier tourism destinations and enhance the country’s competitiveness in the luxury travel market.
Tourism remains a key contributor to Fiji’s economy, making continued investment in tourism infrastructure important for sustaining visitor growth, supporting employment and creating opportunities for Fijians and local businesses.
Once completed, the upgraded Westin is expected to add to Fiji’s premium tourism product and reinforce Denarau Island’s reputation as a leading destination for international travellers.
During an earlier interview in July this year, Mr Immanuel confirmed to The Fiji Times in Nadi that the multimillion-dollar refurbished Westin Resort and Spa on Denarau Island would reopen in September this year.
The resort – formerly known as the Regent Hotel and originally built in 1975 before its rebranding as the Westin in the late 1980s – was closed for a major overhaul in January 2023, according to its owner FNPF.
The FNPF had revealed in the report it had suggested a staged opening strategy to the resort operator to allow selected hotel areas to become operational ahead of full project completion and enable early revenue generation.
The redevelopment of the resort is expected to support economic activity, create employment opportunities and increase the quality and diversity of accommodation available to international visitors. Picture:FIJI GOVERNMENT
