Tok Tok Vanuatu has become Vanuatu Tourism Office’s (VTO) and the Tourism industry’s prime signature event.
This year, a lot of time, efforts, and sacrifice were devoted to Tok Tok by the entire staff of VTO, Iririki Island Resort & Spa, members of the organizing committee, event stakeholders, and partners.
2016 Tok Tok Vanuatu took place last week at Iririki Island Resort & Spa assembling close to 150 delegates ie. 92 sellers (local tourism operators) and 54 buyers (international wholesalers & media) coming from Australia, New Zealand, New Caledonia, the United States, Fiji Islands, China, and Italy.
Buyers kick started Tok Tok with an adventure, and absolutely enjoying Tanna island and Espiritu Santo with raving remarks and positive feedbacks. A handful of wholesalers stayed on post Tok Tok to visit Ambrym island and enjoyed their experience.
Tok Tok Vanuatu was declared opened by the Deputy Prime Minister and same time Minister of Tourism and Trade Honorable Joe Natuman, on Thursday 25th August at 8.30am, and was closed on the following evening on Friday 26th August 9pm, at Iririki Island Resort.
In the Deputy Prime Minister’s speech, he called the event a testament to the country’s full recovery 18 months post Cyclone Pam and it was perfect time now for wholesalers and media delegates to re-sample Vanuatu and discover that the destination has returned to how it was before TC Pam or even better with latest infrastructure establishments such as National Convention Center and current developments of the Port Vila City Beautification project.
Tok Tok 2016 provided the opportunity for wholesalers to reconnect with their Vanuatu counterparts & tourism business partners, as well as meet and make new acquaintances to seal new business relationships.
Tok Tok Vanuatu Chairlady Mrs Linda Kalpoi remarks, “We have again had great support from our main sponsors ANZ Bank, along with Air Vanuatu, the Vanuatu Tourism Office, Iririki Island Resort, and Adventures in Paradise contributing significantly to the event”.
Mrs Kalpoi further adds, “As we were progressing towards Tok Tok week, we received a spike of support from over 40 companies in the business sectors as well as provincial councils and media organization who gave their green light to support. We also want to thank these businesses for without their support alongside our main sponsors and partners, Tok Tok Vanuatu would not have been a success and we look forward to continuing this partnership in our next Tok Tok event.”