Culture and Tourism Minister Choylin Douglas has officially opened the Rua Kokomu Island Resort, also known as Double Island Resort, in Gela, underscoring the Solomon Islands government's push to expand the tourism sector. The luxury resort, owned and operated by the Leong family, was formally opened on March 6 following significant private investment...

The Pacific Tourism Organisation (SPTO) has announced the Vanuatu Tourism Office (VTO) as the National Tourism Organisation (NTO) Regional Leader Sponsor for the South Pacific Tourism Exchange (SPTE) 2026, to be held from 25–26 March 2026 at the Crowne Plaza Resort & Spa, Nadi. SPTE 2026 will bring together tourism sellers and buyers from across th...

Fiji’s tourism and aviation sectors will remain central to the country’s economic development strategy, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Tourism and Civil Aviation Viliame Gavoka said in Parliament, as the government also advances plans for a new tourism law to strengthen governance of the industry. Responding during a ministerial statement, Gavo...

Fiji Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka honoured industry leaders and businesses at the ANZ Fiji Excellence in Tourism Awards 2025, highlighting tourism’s continued role as a key driver of the country’s economy. Speaking at the awards ceremony held in Nadi on 28 February, Rabuka said Fiji’s tourism industry continues to demonstrate resilience and adaptabil...

Fiji Airports and its chief executive Mesake Nawari have received international recognition at the Pacific Area Travel Writers Association (PATWA) International Travel Awards 2026 held in Berlin, Germany, with Nadi International Airport named Best Airport – South Pacific Islands. Nawari also received the PATWA Gold Award – Excellence in Leadership – Ai...

Air Niugini has launched a companywide Customer Experience Transformation (CXT) programme aimed at improving service standards and positioning the national carrier for a higher international airline rating. The initiative was introduced during the airline’s first staff town hall of 2026 held last Friday in Port Moresby, which also marked the formal wel...

Pacific Tourism Organisation has announced a strategic partnership with Fiji Airways as platinum partner for the South Pacific Tourism Exchange (SPTE) 2026. The event will be held from March 25 to 26, 2026, at the Crowne Plaza Resort & Spa under the theme “Tourism that Connects: Culture, Climate, Community”. SPTE 2026 will highlight the Pacific’...

Vanuatu has taken a significant step in strengthening its tourism and aviation links with New Zealand, following the announcement of expanded year-round direct services to Port Vila by Solomon Airlines. The Vanuatu Tourism Office (VTO) has welcomed the development, describing it as a major boost for air connectivity and the national tourism industry. F...

The Vanuatu Tourism Office (VTO) has extended its warm congratulations to the Government of Vanuatu and Air Vanuatu Operations Limited following the successful arrival of a new Twin Otter aircraft, a milestone expected to significantly strengthen domestic connectivity and tourism across the country’s 83 islands. The addition of the Twin Otter to the na...

Fiji has reinforced its growing influence in the global aviation arena with its participation in the Changi Aviation Summit, currently underway in Singapore from 1–3 February. The Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Tourism and Civil Aviation, Hon. Viliame Gavoka, is representing Fiji at the high-level gathering following an invitation from Singapore’s...

As part of a major push to revive its international tourism sector, New Caledonia unveiled a comprehensive recovery plan aimed at welcoming at least 250,000 tourists by 2032. Christopher Gygès, a member of the government in charge of economic attractiveness, presented the plan on Wednesday in Nouméa alongside local partners. Following a crisis in 2024,...

As the sun rose over Tubou village, Lakeba became the setting for a moment its people have awaited for generations, as a high-level delegation led by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Tourism and Civil Aviation Viliame Gavoka visited the island for the first time. The visit signalled Lakeba’s formal entry into Fiji’s national tourism conversation,...

Prime Minister Jeremiah Manele on 16 Januaryt led the opening of the upgraded Parangiju Mountain Lodge in Central Guadalcanal, marking a government-backed push to strengthen tourism as a driver of economic growth in Solomon Islands. Manele was the chief guest at the ceremony, which marked the completion of new bungalows, additional rooms and expanded s...

Minister for Public Works, Meteorological Services and Transport Ro Filipe Tuisawau on 16 December officially commissioned the newly upgraded Ellington Wharf in Rakiraki, marking a milestone in improving inter-island connectivity for communities in Ra and beyond. The reopening reflects the government’s continued investment in critical transport infrast...

Vanuatu’s tourism sector is showing strong signs of recovery, according to the January–June 2025 International Visitor Survey (IVS) released jointly by the Pacific Tourism Organisation (SPTO) and the Vanuatu Tourism Office (VTO). The survey, conducted under SPTO’s Pacific Tourism Data Initiative and funded by the New Zealand government, provides detail...

The government has endorsed the Commercial Use of Marine Areas Bill 2025, clearing the way for the return of proprietary ownership of marine areas, or qoliqoli, used for commercial activities — chiefly tourism — to their customary owners. Once passed by Parliament, the Bill will repeal the Regulation of Surfing Areas Act 2010 and establish a new framew...