Sydney Owners Put Fijian Island on Market

One of Fiji’s luxury island resorts is on the market as its Sydney-based owners move on after more than 12 years at the helm.

Yasawa Island Resort & Spa listed for sale by James and Erin McCann, who took ownership of the resort at the end of 2010.

Both have a long association with tourism in Fiji dating back to the early 1990s—Canada-born James is a previous general manager of Castaway Island Resort and Malolo Island Resort, and Erin was general manager of two of Fiji’s premier five-star resorts, Vatulele Island Resort and the resort they are selling, Yasawa Island Resort.

Located off the north-west side of Fiji’s main islands, the resort is accessed via a 25-minute flight from Nadi International airport.

The facility is the sole occupant on the 30ha island and comprises 18 luxury beachfront bungalows, an airstrip, bar, eatery and day spa.

The all-inclusive resort also offers “intimate cultural experiences” such as local village feasts, scuba diving, fishing and private beach picnics.

CBRE Hotel’s Tom Gibson and Michael Simpson are managing the sale via an international expression of interest campaign to close May 11, 2023.

“The availability of vacant possession and the size of land provides the incoming owner with an opportunity to expand the scale with the inclusion of luxury branded residences,” Gibson said.

“Possible plans include the expansion of rooms to 50 keys to include beach front, ocean view and garden rooms, as well as the development of branded residences to create an integrated resort.”

Simpson said the “strength of the luxury resort sector globally has proved to be resilient and highly sought-after”.

▲ The main bure (traditional Fijian cottage) at Yawasa Island Resort and Spa.

“Yasawa Island Resort & Spa presents as a logical opportunity to engage in one of the leading hotel managers to set a new benchmark in the market,” he said.

James McCann said the resort has been part of his and wife Erin’s life since the late 1990s when she was the resort general manager and then from the family’s ownership since 2010.

“The incredible people of the Yasawa Islands have formed a bond that will continue with us for the rest of our lives,” he said.

“We look forward to seeing the wonderful and exciting next phase for the resort that a new owner could bring.”

The listing comes hot on the heels of news that Pumpkin Island, also known as XXXX Island due to its role in the Queensland brewer’s marketing, had been listed for just the second time in 62 years.

The island in Queensland’s Whitsundays, has been tipped to fetch in the vicinity of $20 million and is also being marketed by CBRE.

Also last week, another Whitsunday Island resorts, the abandoned Lindeman Island, was sold to an unnamed high-net-worth Singaporean family in a $10-million deal.