A New Zealand-funded grant has helped the Vilu War Museum in West Guadalcanal improve visitor interpretation, with 30 new signs providing historical context for the World War II relics preserved at the site. The Vilu War Museum, which holds one of the Solomon Islands’ most significant collections of large World War II relics, has completed the producti...

Vanuatu’s tourism sector recorded strong growth in the first half of 2026, with international visitor arrivals increasing by about 30 per cent year-on-year and generating an estimated USD 87.8 million in economic contribution, according to a new visitor survey. The Pacific Tourism Organisation (SPTO), in partnership with the Vanuatu Tourism Office (VTO...

Fiji has marked a milestone for the regional wellness and tourism industry by hosting the CIDESCO World Congress for the first time in the South Pacific. The 2026 CIDESCO World Congress was officially opened in Nadi by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Tourism and Civil Aviation Viliame Gavoka, bringing together beauty, spa and wellness profession...

Fiji is moving to a broader tourism regulatory framework under the Tourism Act 2026, replacing legislation that has focused primarily on hotels and guest houses for more than five decades. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Tourism and Civil Aviation Viliame Gavoka told Parliament Tuesday that the government would implement the new framework throug...

Tuvalu has completed its first sport fishing tourism pilot, an initiative aimed at testing the potential for a premium, environmentally sustainable tourism product while creating new economic opportunities for local communities. The pilot was delivered through a partnership between the Australia-Pacific Partnerships for Aviation Program (P4A) and the N...

The Papua New Guinea Tourism Promotion Authority (PNGTPA) has taken another important step towards strengthening marine tourism in Papua New Guinea through a new partnership that will bring a ferry back into service in Port Moresby Harbour. The partnership was formally signed on 6 August 2026, bringing together PNGTPA, Happy Soles Limited and Marine Co...

The Republic of the Marshall Islands has launched the Marshall Islands Pocket Guide, a new online tourism resource aimed at raising the country's profile in regional and international travel markets. Developed by South Pacific Pocket Guide in collaboration with the Office of Commerce, Investment & Tourism (OCIT), the website provides travellers wit...

The Pacific Tourism Organisation (SPTO), in partnership with Pacific Trade Invest (PTI) Australia, has completed the first leg of the 2026 Treasures of the South Pacific Roadshow, promoting five lesser-known Pacific destinations to Australian travel industry partners. The roadshow visited the Sunshine Coast, Brisbane and the Gold Coast, connecting Paci...

Fiji has opened a new eco-tourism destination in Nabalabala Village, Ra Province, aimed at creating new income opportunities for local communities while promoting forest conservation and sustainable tourism. The Navatuvoka Eco-Tourism and Forest Park was officially launched to support community-led economic development through eco-tourism, handicrafts,...

Fiji has launched the Nasaulevu Integrated Tourism Development Masterplan, a landmark tourism project aimed at creating a new tourism and investment hub while placing indigenous landowners at the centre of development. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Tourism and Civil Aviation Viliame Gavoka unveiled the masterplan on 19 June at Navoci Village i...

The Pacific Tourism Organisation (SPTO) has released its official Post-Event Report for the South Pacific Tourism Exchange (SPTE) 2026, highlighting record-breaking participation, stronger regional collaboration, and significant progress toward sustainable tourism development across the Pacific. Held from March 24–26 at the Crowne Plaza Fiji Nadi Bay R...

Solomon Airlines has been granted an International Airline Licence by Papua New Guinea’s Department of Transport, clearing the way for the airline to commence direct services between Port Moresby and Honiara. The licence was formally presented on 12 June 2026 by Papua New Guinea Secretary for Transport, Matthew Wowoni, to Solomon Islands High Commissio...

Fiji's expanding tourism sector is attracting growing interest from international investors, with more than $3 billion worth of tourism projects in the pipeline as the country works toward welcoming 1.25 million visitors and generating $4 billion in tourism earnings by 2027. Speaking at the opening of the Asia-Pacific Hotel Industry Conference and Exhi...

Vanuatu's tourism sector generated an estimated economic impact of USD 136 million in 2025, underpinned by strong visitor spending, high satisfaction levels and growing interest in sustainable travel, according to the latest International Visitor Survey. The January-December 2025 International Visitor Survey was released by the Pacific Tourism Organisa...

Fiji has enacted its first comprehensive tourism legislation, replacing the Hotel and Guest Houses Act 1973 with a broader regulatory framework aimed at supporting the long-term growth, governance and sustainability of one of the country’s most important economic sectors. The Tourism Bill No. 10 of 2026 was passed into law on May 28, establishing the n...

The Pacific Tourism Organisation has selected Fiji as the host of the South Pacific Tourism Exchange, or SPTE, in 2027 following a vote by the organisation’s Board of Directors during a meeting in Nadi last week. The decision came after the board considered expressions of interest from Fiji and Tahiti Tourisme to host the Pacific region’s flagship tour...