Businesses close in Nadi, spaces reoccupied

May 13, 2009 03:35:16 PM

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The Nadi Chamber of Commerce post-flooding survey conducted last Friday has revealed that 10 businesses in town have closed down operations completely.

Fifty to 70 jobs were lost as a result of these closures, the survey found.

The survey also revealed that around ten businesses as well had relocated businesses out of Nadi and set up elsewhere.

Close to 300 business establishments in the greater Nadi area were subjected to this post-flooding survey to determine the real impact of the disaster that hit Fiji in early January.

However, Chamber president Dr Ram Raju told FijiLive that all was not gloomy for Nadi given the many positive business prospects available in the tourist town.

“For those shops that had closed down, it doesn’t mean it hasn’t been reoccupied. Other businesses have moved in and reoccupied those empty spaces,” Raju said.

“At around this time, there are only five empty shop spaces,” he said.

To date, Raju said there were some 200 businesses still in operation in Nadi.

However, he said businesses were finding difficulty in stocking up supplies, particularly in worst hit areas of the recent flooding.

In the meantime, Raju said business was slow in Nadi, recording a 50 per cent drop in business activity – attributed to the withdrawals of Air Pacific flights, particularly in Japan given the high spending patterns by Japanese tourists.

“Tourist numbers remains slow moving, which has resulted in decreased economic activities,” he said.

On a positive note, Raju said the Chamber of Commerce was organising a revival festival in June, the major purpose being to highlight Nadi’s recovery from the flood and that business was in full mode and potential opportunities for investors to invest.