Taking the plunge: Sawa-I-Lau Cave & Pool Tours connect with Qavio Consulting to transform their business.
“The quality of life for my village of Sawa-i-lau has greatly improved with earnings obtained from our sightseeing business. The substantial financial assistance from BLP and our advisor is the best investment we’ve done as we are now more financially knowledgeable and confident too.”
Akuila Navunisinu, Managing Director of Sawa-i-Lau Cave & Pool Tours, Mataqali Natukani Rakirakinato Limited.
The Business Link Pacific programme is specifically designed to support small and medium sized, growing businesses in the Pacific region. Through our Business Health Check, Subsidy Scheme and BLP approved business advisor network, we support a wide range of businesses from a variety of industries, whether they are on mainland islands or in more remote locations.
This week we caught up with Akuila Navunisinu, owner of Sawa-i-Lau Cave & Pool Tours, and Managing Director of Mataqali Natukani Rakirakinato Limited, a sightseeing business based in the northern Yasawa Islands of Fiji, who used BLP’s services to transform his growing business.
Akuila Navunisinu, a Tamusua villager, had a dream of prosperity for his mataqali (clan) in the northern Yasawa Islands. He saw great possibilities for a day-trip to the Sawa-i-Lau Caves and Pools as a sightseeing business and so established Mataqali Natukani Rakirakinato Limited to bring his vision to light.
Officially registered in 2011, Mataqali Natukani Rakirakinato Limited was created to protect and preserve the village of Tamusua’s two most valuable assets, its historically significant ancient caves and pools and the village way of life, while simultaneously improving Tamusua’s economic outlook.
During the initial start-up stage of their business, Akuila faced major challenges that threatened the success of the business, some of which included; time and travel expenses incurred for obtaining a business license and other mandatory paperwork, low and stagnant entry fee rates paid by visitors, resulting in low profits for the village (only recently increased from FJD$15.00 to $35.00 per person), high maintenance costs for infrastructure frequently exposed to adverse weather conditions (regular maintenance has to be carried out every 5-6 months), mandatory Ministry of Health sanitation and OHS requirements, unavailability of clean water supply and a lack of relevant and easily available financial advice to outer lying island businesses, exacerbated by the unpredictable weather conditions of the Yasawas.
Through the Business Link Pacific programme, Akuila was connected with Qavio Consulting, one of BLP’s approved business advisors and one of Fiji’s leading business consultants for the SME sector. Qavio offer quality advice for a range of services including: investment considerations, tax and land development as well as finance and accounting, specialising in working with local SMEs to help grow their businesses.
The business advice provided to Akuila could not have come at a better time, and as a result the village-based growing enterprise was able to successfully restructure into a more productive venture.
Qavio Consulting were able to simplify complicated business policies that were previously difficult to understand. As a result, the mataqali owned sightseeing business successfully composed and audited their tax requirements with full professional compliance, and their knowledge and confidence in completing these has greatly improved as well.
“I’m very grateful for BLP’s and Qavio’s encouragement and backing in putting together my loan proposal as well as in establishing important networking with loan providers and similar business owners as well,” Akuila says.
“Business Link Pacific through Qavio Consulting enhanced our business know-how, which greatly assisted the staff to be more professional in their daily duties. SMEs engaged in similar day trip tourism businesses should definitely be assisted in the same way too.”
The villagers of Sawa-i-lau treasure their ancient caves that are said to be the heart of the Yasawa Islands. With the support of BLP and Qavio Consulting, villagers are able to continue to preserve the ecological wonders of their natural inheritance, as well as earn a fair living from sharing its beauty to all visitors who frequent the pristine Yasawa Islands.
A typical sightseeing itinerary tour to the Sawa-i-lau Caves starts with 9am pick-ups from area resorts followed by a 40-minute boat ride to the destination. Experienced and friendly cave guides assist visitors to savour the thrill and mysteries of these ancient, natural rocky chambers. For more information visit: https://www.facebook.com/sawailaucave/
If you have a Pacific-based growing business in need of quality business advice, but are not sure where to start, take our free online Business Health Check which will help you identify where there are gaps in your business and connect you with a relevant and BLP approved business advisor.
Learn more about Qavio Consulting in the BLP Portal and see the full range of services available via the BLP programme, by visiting: https://businesslinkpacific.com/