Page 23 - Islands Business March 2023

Tourism Tourism

Photos: Sigatoka River Safari

seed of an idea was planted. businesses you have different requirements.”
“My original idea was that this would be perfect to bring The initial investment into the company was FJ$250,000,
the villagers down to a single target town to do shopping, and but setting up the business was not without some challenges.
then the boat can take them back up. That’s what the real “Getting the boat in and out of the Sigatoka River in town
original idea was.” was very difficult; there was no jetty, no boat ramp, nothing,”
Fast forward a few years, and Whyte was an adult, stuck in Whyte says.
traffic on his way to work as a public servant in Australia. He Looking back, Whyte says there are some things he would
remembers feeling unhappy, contemplating what to do, and have done differently.
yearning to be back in Fiji. “I would have probably bought a piece of land and built
“I remember saying to myself, I’d rather live my life for operations purposes, because we tried to operate out of
knowing I have taken a chance, then wonder 10 years down town,” which he says creates some security issues.
the track, ‘What if?’ “If I were doing it all again, knowing what I know now, the
“So I decided to follow the dream; thankfully, I have a very investment would have been a lot more. We did everything
supportive family to go live in another country and start a with limited income back then.”
business,” he said. Whyte adds, “I would probably want to start with at least
One of the first things he did was research boats and write two or three boats instead of one, because we kept doing
a business plan. He decided the boat had to come from New tours and, thanks to Neil, he foresaw it happening and sent
Zealand, the home of jet boating. over another boat, which we paid [for] over time.”
He flew over Neil Ross, a well-known Kiwi jet-ski builder to Pioneering this type of business meant his team needed
inspect the river, and shared his dream and vision. The next specialised training, in driving boats and first aid.
step was to connect with his pen-pal. Matasau advised him “For our business, the most important training is driving
how to approach the village chiefs, the traditional custodians the JetBlue boat, so every single JetBlue captain goes to New
for the area. Zealand and learns from Neil, Josh, and myself on varying
“I did everything the traditional way first and then the different degrees of conditions, starting on the most basic
bureaucratic side second, so to me, I was just doing what I ride and moving through the more difficult ones.”
knew to be the right thing,” Whyte says. Sigatoka River Safari is now well established and well
“It was a wonderful experience in the sense that I had respected and has added to its fleet. Whyte is also a well-
my spokesman, and he would relay the story to the chiefly known figure in Sigatoka and was heavily involved in helping
houses, saying, ‘This is Jay, we’ve known him since he was 13, establish rugby associations in the town, and the now-famous
he visits the village every two years, and we have seen him Coral Coast Sevens.
grow up.’” As a businessman, he strongly believes that “if you are
Once the chiefs heard of that long connection, and Whyte’s going to do something, you want to do it right; do not take
dream of connecting visitors to authentic Fijian experiences, shortcuts, and understand it is a marathon, not a sprint.
“they were completely onboard and supportive.” “When you have your first success, don’t think you have
After getting approval from the chiefly villages along reached the mountaintop, you still have to get up tomorrow
the Sigatoka River, Whyte started working on business and do it all again,” he said.
requirements.
“We then had to get our coastal trading license from MSAF editor@islandsbusiness.com
[Maritime Safety Authority of Fiji], and obviously for different

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