Tourism

Fiji tourism smashes 2022 targets

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.

Kiwis urged to 'go for it' as Solomon Islands, Vanuatu reopen to tourists

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

Japan reopens to tourists - but with strict rules

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.

Milestone in Pacific tourism post-Covid

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.

Some Pacific tourist destinations set to relax restrictions

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.

Australia set to benefit from $167m Tongan airport development

The new development will allow Aussie tourists to fly direct to Tonga’s main tourism hub Vavaʻu for the first time as well as expanding trade access for a wider range of goods and services. Australia is Tonga’s second largest tourism market, making up a fifth (19%) of visitor numbers.

Australia is also a key export market for Tonga with two-way trade between the countries valued at AUD$21 million per annum.

Slow start as Bali re-opens to foreign tourists

As of Thursday, fully vaccinated travellers from 19 countries including China, India, and France can enter Bali. The UK is not on the list.

But visitors must first serve a five-day quarantine in a hotel.

Officials had closed the international airport in April last year to stop the coronavirus from spreading.

In July, Indonesia became the epicentre of Covid in Asia, but daily cases have since reduced significantly.

Now the tourism sector is hoping that some of the 6 million foreigners who visited the island in 2019, before the pandemic hit, will return.

Newly announced travel bubbles inspire confidence in the Pacific

The coronavirus pandemic has devastated economies around the world but Fiji has been hit particularly hard by international travel bans.

Figures from June showed more than 100,000 people were no longer employed due to the tourism standstill.

Jessie McComb, a senior tourism expert with the International Finance Corporation, said tourism operators in Fiji are already preparing to welcome tourists back.

New Covid-19 cases deflating Australia, Pacific bubble ideas

With 10 active cases and quarantine botch-ups, it could be months yet before Australian and Pacific visitors are allowed in.

Meanwhile, Australian Tourism Minister Simon Birmingham has warned its border will mostly likely be locked down until 2021.

That has businesses feeling nervous.

For Skyline - an adventure tourism business in Queenstown and Rotorua - the weekdays are the hardest.

Locals are visiting in the weekends and school holidays, but in between the luges and gondolas are quiet.

Pacific Islands to be well represented at the Internationale Tourismus-Börse Berlin

Member countries are represented by their national tourism offices and these include Cook Islands Tourism Corporation, New Caledonia Tourism, Samoa Tourism Authority, Vanuatu Tourism and the Solomon Island Visitors Bureau.  Private sector participants are Turama Pacific, Air Caledonie International and Noumea Discovery Travel Company