Yatu Lau Company Limited may contemplate partnerships with international brands for economic benefits, according to its chairman, Viliame Leqa. He indicated that any collaborations may occur in the future but emphasized that there are currently no plans to outsource the management of the company’s tourism properties.
Responding to inquiries about potential outsourcing, Leqa mentioned that the situation was new to him. He stated, “At this stage, Yatu Lau Company Limited has no intention to outsource the management of any of our current hotel properties to any overseas international brand.” However, he noted the possibility of exploring partnerships with international brands if the circumstances require such economic considerations.
Leqa suggested looking into the partnerships of Fijian Holdings Limited and the Fiji National Provident Fund with multinational companies to gain insight into global business models. Currently, Yatu Lau Company is in an exploratory phase and has not yet made any definitive decisions regarding management options.
Reports indicate that a local operator in tourism management is being considered after preliminary discussions with Parkside Hotel Group to manage the resort.
The prospect of outsourcing management to a global brand raises concerns among local employees, some of whom may fear job displacement.
In a related development, an email from Yatu Lau’s chief financial officer, Indika Weerasekara, revealed that Parkside Hotel Group proposed a “more profitable” deal to Yatu Lau regarding management of the Lagoon Resort. Parkside Hotel Group (Fiji) claims to have operations across numerous countries, including the United States, China, and the United Kingdom, and lists Fiji as part of its portfolio.
The Registrar of Companies records show that Parkside Hotel Group Fiji was registered last year with directors Viliame and Pramod. Local director Viliame Rodan confirmed he was previously involved with Parkside but distanced himself from the company about two to three years ago, saying he now works as a consultant to attract investors.
Parkside is reported to be owned by Pramod J Patel, who resides in America, though he could not be reached for comments.
In a draft agreement from July 2024, Parkside was registered at an address in London, which had changed in 2022, and records show the company was dissolved in June last year. Patel was identified as the owner before the company underwent a name change to Parkside Hotel Group Ltd.
Parkside has partnerships with well-known companies like Air France and Disney and manages over two dozen properties.
Weerasekara noted that Parkside’s profitability could enhance management for the Lagoon property, maintaining a relationship with Patel, who has expressed interest in taking over management of Yatu Lau Holdings Company. He stated that discussions had taken place for further negotiations regarding rates for Lagoon Resort management.
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