https://www.travelandtourworld.com/news/article/major-boost-for-sustainable-tourism-in-vanua-levu-fiji/
A World Bank-funded project aims to support Fiji's tourism development on Vanua Levu, benefiting at least 60,000 Fijians through job creation and tourism infrastructure investment.
This is the first phase of the Fiji Tourism Development Program in Vanua Levu, part of a ten-year plan for sustainable and resilient tourism across the country.
The project focuses on improving access to and climate resilience of essential services, including drainage, sewage, and transport infrastructure on Vanua Levu, including Taveuni Island.
It includes upgrading domestic airports in Labasa and Savusavu and improving the road connecting the two towns.
Fiji's tourism sector, which contributes 40% of the country's GDP, was severely impacted by COVID-19, leading to increased poverty.
The program aims to strengthen tourism service capacity, attract private investments, create employment opportunities (especially for women), and increase government revenue.
It emphasizes the management and protection of natural resources, with the establishment of locally-managed marine areas and improved management of strategic areas like the Waisali Rainforest Reserve.
The program also aims to enhance Fiji's marketability domestically and internationally while adopting a community-centered approach for sustainable resource management.
The project's financing of US$61.5 million is part of a larger US$200 million envelop for the ten-year tourism program on Vanua Levu.
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