Tourism

The Chief Executive Officer of Vanuatu Tourism Office (VTO), Adela Issachar Aru, said this is an awaited opportunity to reconnect and rebuild relationships between buyers and sellers to discuss their businesses in market and in destination.

“We look forward to working with the Trade, Industry, Partners, Sponsors, and others who are ready to be part of the 2023 TOKTOK Vanuatu.”

The Vanuatu Tourism Office is pleased to announce the success of TOK TOK Noumea, a premier travel trade event held on April 20, 2023, in Noumea, New Caledonia. The event was attended by 53 travel agents from Noumea, showcasing Vanuatu’s unique tourism offerings and fostering valuable business partnerships.

Vanuatu Prime Minister Ishmael Kalsakau and his Australian counterpart Anthony Albanese completed a bilateral meeting in Canberra yesterday reports RNZ Pacific.

A spokesperson for Australia's Prime Minister says some of the money will go towards supporting aviation, trade, infrastructure, cyber security and banking.

The spokesperson said both Prime Ministers agreed Australia would prioritise the construction of a new home for Vanuatu's Council of Ministers and National Security Council Secretariats under the agreement     

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One of the hallmarks of Fiji's tourism industry is the world-class hospitality of the Fijian people.

Thanks to this kind of dedication from Fijian hospitality staff like Asenaca Nitayaqa - who you will meet properly a little later - the industry is on track to smash all its expectations for a recovery in 2022.

Fiji Tourism chief executive Brent Hill said at the start of the year they had set a goal to try and achieve visitor numbers of around 400,000.

They are now on track to almost doubling that number.

The Solomon Islands and Vanuatu will open on July 1, with Samoa and the Federated States of Micronesia a month later on August 1.

Vanuatu, one of the last Covid hermit nations, is set to open up to international travel, but there are concerns the country is not ready to restart tourism, with a lack of deals with foreign airlines posing a significant problem.

From 1 July, international tourists will be able to return to Vanuatu, a country of 300,000 people three hours from Australia, which has had some of the toughest border restrictions in the world through the pandemic.

She has paid more than £3,500 ($4,390) for a 16-day tour, as under the country's Covid-19 restrictions she is not allowed to roam around on her own.

But Ms Ronayne, who lives in the UK, is still keen to make the trip.

"This will be my first time in Japan and also my first time in Asia. I am looking forward to it. I have been watching [Japanese reality TV show] Terrace House to learn some phrases," she said.

The organisation's CEO Christopher Cocker announced the partnership at the SIDs Global Business Network Forum in Palau.

Mr Cocker said it's a working group that can share best practices and information, which are important for Pacific nations considering opening their borders.

"To me it's a milestone because moving forward in terms of Covid recovery, no man's an island, we need to collaborate. And I've heard this week of how vital strategic partnerships are."

Cocker said the SIDs tourism sector faces a number of unique challenges right now because of the pandemic.

But in that time, some nations have decided to relax restrictions to welcome tourists back and revive the economy.

With sandy beaches and warm, sunny weather Cook Islands is a dream destination for many travellers.

Now Aussies can be part of the dream with Cook Islands opening its borders to Australians from the middle of next month, and the rest of the world in May.

A 10-day isolation stopover in New Zealand has also been ditched for international arrivals.

Association chairperson Calvin Rhodes said he was disappointed by comments from the director-general at the Prime Minister's Office, Gregoire Nimbtik, that the government does not have a plan to reopen the borders.

"I think it was very concerning actually, and really [highlighted] the shortfalls of the government's planning for vaccination for the countries reopening targets."

Rhodes said Vanuatu needs to keep Covid-19 out of the country due to the limitations of its health care system.