Tourism

The roadshow is held prior to the 2018 ITB Berlin tradeshow, the largest travel trade show in Europe.

‘Meet the Pacific’ is a one-day business-to-business meeting through pre-scheduled appointments in six European and two Asian countries bringing together resort partners, tourism board and airline partners (sellers) from the South Pacific to meet key European, UK and Asian tour operators (buyers) who are committed to promoting and selling the South Pacific destinations. 

The designation means that selected Chinese tour operators can organise group travel while having a control mechanism to guarantee safe and reliable tourism services for their Chinese customers.

The measure was announced by China's ambassador to France Zhai Jun during a visit to Noumea where he met the caretaker vice president Jean-Louis d'Anglebermes.

Several Pacific Islands countries have been added to the list in the past decade, including Papua New Guinea.

Photo: RNZ Pacific New Caledonia 

The Samoa Qualifications Authority (SQA) is scheduled to launch the new SQs in Tourism and Hospitality at the Millenia Hotel fale, today.

A total of 112 National Competency Standards (NCSs) which have been packaged into twelve SQs were developed based on feedback provided by various employers in the tourism sector with technical advice from the Sector Advisory Group (SAG). The qualifications are now registered on the Samoa Qualifications Framework (SQF) after satisfying the requirements for registration.

Sir Elton will play tonight in Mackay and next Saturday in Cairns, with performances in Wollongong and Hobart in between.

The four dates are the 70-year-old singer's only public shows on his Australian tour, which is largely sold out but now has limited tickets in some locations.

Fifteen thousand visitors are expected at tonight's Mackay performance, with 5,000 of that number travelling from outside the region, including 200 from overseas.

Big boost for local economy

The Cook Islands International Visitor Survey report for the final quarter of last year shows the local tourism industry performing well.

The report, prepared by the New Zealand Tourism Research Institute and the Auckland University of Technology, showed visitor satisfaction levels and the desire for return visits remained very high.

Visitor yield also remained strong over the mid-2015 to mid-2016 period, largely accounted for by increased levels of expenditure on accommodation.

A recent study by Horwarth HTL, a Hong Kong-based consultant for the Marianas Visitors Authority, said there was an overall lack of planning for future development.

It said such unmanaged growth threatens the Northern Marianas because it does not allow the "loss of utilisation" of natural resources on the islands.

The study also said the long queues at airports and the condition of most of the territory's hotels could sap tourists' enthusiasm and patience.

But two Asian cities, according to a new report by market researcher Euromonitor International, are welcoming more visitors than any other destination.

The proposed law will restrict future investment to five-star hotel chains.

The legislation is part of the President Tommy Remengesau's vision to reduce tourist numbers and increase tourist spending.

President Remengesau says the new law, which he aims to have passed within the first 100 days of the new government's tenure, will include tax incentives for potential investors.

Dreamworld's parent company Ardent Leisure said in a statement this morning that all slides, pools and cabanas at Whitewater World (Dreamworld's water park) will be open, along with several Dreamworld rides and attractions.

Dive into Samoa’s spectacular To Sua ocean trench from Beijing?

Tourism advertising has taken on a new dimension with the introduction of Virtual Reality Films.

Pacific Trade & Invest (PT&I) China has begun using Virtual Reality (VR) films to promote the Pacific Islands to the China travel trade.

The VR films were shot on location during the recent tour of the Pacific led by PT&I China.