‘Dr T’ Plans to Open An AirBnB Business in Namosi
BURES WILL OFFER LUXURY LIVING IN WILDERNESS, AN HOUR’S DRIVE FROM QUEENS HIGHWAY.
One of Fiji’s finest academic, Tarisi Sorovi-Vunidilo, plans to set up an Air breakfast and bed (AirBnB) business in the highlands of Namosi, in June. Four 20-foot containers are currently being converted into hybrid bures, which will house up to 10 guests in each bure when it opens, offering an unplugged life with an endless view of mountains and terrains in the province.
AirBnB is a service business run by people who rent out their properties.
The bures offer luxury living in the wilderness inland, an hour’s drive from the Queens Highway. Mrs Vunidilo’s husband, Kalisito Vunidilo, hails from Namosi Village where their business is taking shape.
Mrs Vunidilo is an assistant Professor in Anthropology at the University of Hawaii.
She is popularly known as ‘Dr T’ on social media for her indigenous studies on Fiji.
“We are excited,” she said.
The bures will be built next to their farm.
Plans to construct fish and prawn ponds are in the pipeline.
They believe their huge network built in the span of more than 30 years, both here and abroad, will generate interest in the business. The family of four spent 16 years in New Zealand, before moving to Hawaii, about five years ago.
“The main aim of the farm is education. With this, we can showcase a little bit about Fiji, and we will invite people from abroad to come and learn about their identity,” she said.
The idea came about as part of their “giving back to the community” and a way to showcase Fijian
heritage.
“Mr Vunidilo has an accounting degree and we kind of combined our passions.
“My passion is heritage and old things.
“I love storytelling, indigenous stories and plants.
“The business element of it is to get local and overseas visitors to stay at the farm.
“Customers can stay up to a month or even longer if they wish to.
“We are inviting writers, painters; everyone who wants to have a space of their own.
“That place is unplugged.
“There is no Wi-Fi there.
“This way they are able to do things that they want to do.”
She said they were looking at creating booking options that included a three-course meal, birdwatching, hiking and many nature-friendly activities.
Supervising the work on the ground, Mr Vunidilo said there was a lot of work to be done in the next six months.
He has been in the country since April this year to ensure the business opens in time.
Mr Vunidilo said the business was 95 per cent completed; they have focused on finishing touches.
“The big picture about farming and business is to involve as many people as possible,” he said. A website is being developed to provide a friendly booking experience.
The culmination of all building materials comes to about $200,000. Mr Vunidilo is looking at converting
We are inviting writers, painters, everyone who wants to have a space of their own. That place is unplugged. Tarisi SoroviVunidilo Academic
25 containers into bures in the next seven years.
He said the price of bures would be released soon.
Since they both live abroad, a close friend will look after the business and employ villagers for their survival, apart from farming.
Mr Vunidilo has plans to retire much earlier in life to look after the business.
He is currently writing his thesis on the oral history of Namosi to complete his PhD studies.