More on Kokomo Fiji Resort...
Over the past six years, Walker has dragged his island from overgrown “mile a minute” jungle vines and creepers into a five-star, meticulously built and landscaped idyll with wending paths, lavish day spa complex and finishing touches such as a romantic aperitif bar built into rock next to a waterfall.
His three children, their spouses and his eight grandchildren have all been regular visitors, watching the island transform villa by villa, wet-edge pool by wet-edge pool. “I’m hoping our guests agree we’ve gone one better,” Walker says with trademark bravado. “I’ve looked at the competition and I think we’re streets ahead. Now we just have to make sure we deliver on what we’ve promised.” Kokomo Private Island Fiji is certainly the most luxurious Australian-owned resort in Fiji and among the most expensive in the South Pacific
. Situated on the 57-hectare island of Yaukuve south of Suva, it comprises 21 beachfront villas of one to three bedrooms, five hilltop residences of up to six bedrooms and an owner’s residence tucked away on the north end of the island with private beach and separate teenager’s retreat.
There are almost 30 pools and four beaches, a five-star PADI dive centre, tennis court, state-of-theart air conditioned gym, a luxury day spa stocked with Sodashi products, nanny and butler services.
The resort will cater for up to 134 guests looked after by 178 staff. Suffice to say, Walker doesn’t expect it to become a cash cow anytime soon.
Such ventures are historically in the realm of grand folly, or at least grandstanding. But he is hoping it will shape up as some sort of business.
Once the resort is bedded down, the hilltop residences will become available for purchase and lease.
In terms of tourists, Fiji is on trend, having welcomed 792,320 international tourists in 2016, up from 660,590 in 2012. Half of them were Australian, followed by New Zealanders.
The all-important Chinese tourists have increased tenfold over the past five years, to just over 40,100 last year.
And bridezillas take note: Walker is chasing the destination wedding set. “Maybe I shouldn’t have mentioned asking for the discount at Laucala,” he quips.
“Might come back to bite me. I suppose all our guests will want one too.”