Page 20 - IB June 2017

Tourism

2million and counting

Relationships key to Pacific tourism

New horizon ... Fiji Marriott Resort Momi Bay with its spectacular 22 overwater villas. South Pacific tourism is geared for a new era as island nations address the needs of their
different markets. Photo: Fiji Marriott Resort Momi Bay. Inset, above: Air Niugini will start flying from Shanghai to Port Moresby. Photo: Invictus
By Netani Rika “At the SPTE the buyers have the op- national level.
portunity to see what is on offer in the And Foo used the SPTE to announce
WITH Pacific tourism arrivals hitting two regions and there’s a huge variety avail- the airline’s new commercial flights from
million last year, the future of the indus- able in our countries Shanghai to Port Moresby beginning in
try will hinge on business relationships “Actually it’s more than just sun, sea December.
forged between the region’s sellers and and sand. It’s also about people and un- “The (Air Niugini) board has decided
international buyers. derstanding the market.” that we start operating into China. This is
Over the four-year period 2012-2016, This year the Melanesian Bloc put on in line with the PNG government’s deci-
tourist numbers grew 2.9 per cent and a tremendous effort with Vanuatu and sion to develeop our tourism industry,”
are expected to climb further after three Papua New Guinea moving into the mar- Foo said.
very successful South Pacific Tourism keting area of tourism in a big way. “This new destination allows oppor-
Exchanges in Sydney, the Gold Coast and Air Niugini CEO, Simon Foo, said one tunities for partners operating out of the
Melbourne. reason behind the all-out bid by the air- revamped Jackson’s International Airport
Those events motivated international line and the country’s tourism promotion in Port Moresby.”
travel buyers to send clients to Pacific authority was a government initiative to Air Niugini recently signed code share
destinations. support the industry. agreements with Solomon Airlines and
Chris Cocker, CEO of the South Pa- “This is a national effort directed by the Air Vanuatu who will be the first to benefit
cific Tourism Organisation, believes that government as PNG looks to strengthen its from the Shanghai route.
relationship-building is the cornerstone economy,” Foo said in Sydney. Foo said approaches had been made to
of a successful marketing campaign to “We have many exciting tourism des- Fiji Airways for code share agreements on
promote the region. tinations in the country and the industry the Nadi-Port Moresby sector.
“The relationships built at the SPTE are has come together here to showcase PNG Air Niugini is now the first Pacific airline
crucial to developing the Pacific as a cred- and show what a wonderful place it is to to fly direct commercial flights to mainland
ible, safe, secure market throughout the visit.” China.
world,” Cocker said at the end of the most Air Niugini will be critical to tourism Fiji Airways and Air Niugini currently
recent exchange in Sydney last month. development at the domestic and inter- fly to Hong Kong. Fiji Airways also op-

20 Islands Business, May 2017