Way down in Kokomo
Walker was prepared to execute an eco-sensitive vision, but cultural sensitivity wasn’t on his radar: Yaukuve island is uninhabited. Still, chiefs from neighbouring islands expected a say in Kokomo’s business plan. Over several kava ceremonies - a tradition that involves sharing stories over sips of bitter pepper tea - Walker took note of the local needs, from employment to education and economic stimuli. In return, he promised to support the islands’ schools, train Fijians to work at the resort, and set up bank accounts for anyone in need. Time will tell how well Kokomo and the community can integrate, but Walker is off to a promising start. He’s helped rebuild a school that was damaged by Cyclone Winston and has supported sports programmes in the villages. But employment is where he’s made the most progress. “In this part of Fiji, there’s been no tourism of any note, and employment opportunities are lacking,” said Walker. “I figured it was good to get that going.” Now 94 per cent of Kokomo’s staff come from Fiji, with 65 of the 238 staffers hailing from the two closest islands.
Local staff are just one way the resort feels distinctly Fijian - they greet guests at the helipad and jetty and infuse the day-to-day experience with genuine warmth, even if they are still learning the ropes of running a luxury resort. Instead of attending cheesy luaus and tiki parties, guests can go hiking to secret waterfalls with local guides or try their hand at spear fishing wahoo or mahi-mahi. Everything that’s caught gets prepared at the whitetablecloth, open-air Beach Shack restaurant. Crowd-pleasing staples such as wood-fired pizza are available by the pool, and at the waterside Walker d’Plank, self-trained Fijian chef Caroline Oakley designs each meal on the spot rather than handing out menus.
A billionaire’s advice
As much as Kokomo is a lazy, indulgent place for guests - its name is shared with Walker’s three superyachts - the resort will keep its owner busy for quite some time. First he has to break even on the project, which he says he can do even if he manages to just keep the resort at just 50 per cent occupancy year-round and sell a few of the luxury residences, whose prices will start at about US$15mn when they go on the market in 2020.