Page 26 - IB May 2018 Edition

Tourism

Moksha Spa brings world-class day spa home

By Samisoni Pareti

FIJI’S newest beauty spa and café is located
smack dabbed on the islands’ tourism
mecca yet it owners want to pursue a dif-
ferent business model.
Having tourists as customers will be
a bonus says Raja Ramji, who with his
wife Susanna co-owns Moksha Spa and
Gazebo Café, but their primary target are
the locals and expatriates who live along
the Pacific Harbour and Sigatoka regions
in Fiji’s main island of Viti Levu.
“We of course want to encourage inter-
est in wellness and nutrition as well as spa that has until now only been made Moksha Spa’s wellness programme that
personal grooming,” the couple said. Now available to tourists in 4 and 5 star resorts will include zumba and yoga sessions,
retired, they came from Brisbane to build in Fiji. At huge costs to the couple, spa as well as an attractive space for bridal or
their dream home and business on Maui and beauty machines were imported from birthday parties.
Bay on the Coral Coast. Australia and south-east Asia for use at Gazebo Café, located adjacent to the
“We also want to help improve the qual- Moksha Spa. Spa offers cold and hot meals together
ity of life among the neighbouring Fijian “While visiting Fiji on a holiday in 2011, with cold and hot drinks including barista
communities, because we feel that they too we fell in love with the natural beauty of made coffee. Meals on offer are carefully
need to access and enjoy the best in what the country and the friendly nature of the selected with nutrition and wellness in
the world offers in massage therapies, Fijian people. We bought a property in mind, and customers have the choice of
facials and makeup, hair styling, manicure Maui Bay Estates, and built our second breezy veranda sitting outdoors or enjoy
and pedicure.” home here in 2012. the coolness of air conditioning indoors.
The beauty of this business model is “Since then we have enjoyed spend- Being neighbours to top luxurious re-
that locals can now enjoy world-class day ing more and more time in Fiji, and have sorts have been useful too in other ways
since acquired two for the Ramjis, in that they have tried out
more properties in the various services resorts have on offer.
Maui Bay adjacent Hospitality of staff, quality of meals and
to our home. In
TRADE MARK CAUTIONARY NOTICE 2017 we decided even waiting time have all been taken
IN MICRONESIA AND PALAU to make a long- into account in the planning and delivery
of services at both the Moksha Spa and
term investment Gazebo Café.
Jennie-O Turkey Store, Inc., of 2505 Willmar Avenue SW, in Fiji and build First phase of their business cost
Willmar, Minnesota 56201 United States of America, a world-class day Raja and Susanna more than F$1
does hereby provide notice that it claims proprietorship spa, Moksha Spa (USD484,000) million.
of the trade mark and Gazebo Café,
on one of these “Since we started building the spa and
JENNIE-O properties.” the café, all that we’ve been doing is to
The spa and spend and spend. Now with the build-
in relation to: café had a low key ings up and the business running, we
opening last Feb- can now stop spending and start watching
Meat, fish, poultry and game; meat extracts; poultry, ruary and employs for the returns in investment,” says Raja.
Susanna, his wife adds: “I remember the
not live. up to 20 people.
In addition to the day we landed at Nadi after we’ve closed
Jennie-O Turkey Store, Inc. cautions that any use of complete range of up our Brisbane home to start a new life
at Maui Bay.
the trade mark or any confusingly similar trade mark in spa services on
relation to any of these goods or similar goods, would be offer in full air- “When we got off the plane in Nadi after
seen as infringement of their rights and that they will take condition rooms a flight from Brisbane to build a second
such action deemed necessary to protect those rights. at Moksha Spa, home and life at Maui Bay, I started to
the new outlet also panic and wondered what in the world
Jennie-O Turkey Store, Inc. can be contacted care of features outdoor were we doing leaving the comfort of our
their address for service: Jacuzzi plus a tra- Australian house for. Just then, our car
ditional Scandina- passed a pedestrian, a little girl who when
AJ Park, Level 22, Aon Centre, 1 Willis Street, vian steam sauna. she saw us, waved and gave us a mighty
Wellington 6011, New Zealand Second phase ‘bula’ smile. That was it for me, that smile
will see the con- sealed it, and gave me the reassurance
struction of shel- that it would all be ok and that Fiji is now
tered space for home.”

26 Islands Business, May 2018