The Pristine Pacific Awaits.

It’s probably the most overused word of the past several months but ‘unprecedented’ is a perfectly accurate description of the times we have been living in of late.

The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the world, in some places in more tragic ways than others. We in the Pacific have been particularly fortunate in that while outbreaks of infection and death have been so virulent in other parts of the globe, our little corner of the world, in health terms, has remained largely unaffected by the actual virus.

The disruption to our lifestyles has also been less apparent than in numerous other countries but the affect on our economies has been as devastating as any.

In a region that is largely dependent on tourism, the closure of borders has meant hardship for all of us that are reliant on that industry for our livelihoods. No tourists means no hotel and resort bookings, no tours, fewer people in our cafes and restaurants, no passengers on planes, no holiday rentals and no cruise ships.

This has resulted in the loss of jobs and income for everyone in the hospitality industry with a resultant dive in government revenues and the countries’ economies. We all live in hope of an early but sensibly restrained opening of our borders to those countries considered safe along with stringent precautions throughout the travel process. Obviously the last thing any of us need is an uncontained outbreak of the virus in our pristine islands.

That said, the sooner we can welcome visitors back to the Pacific the sooner we will be able to re-employ all those whose jobs have been on hold.

The obvious affect for the publishers of Pacific Island Living is that all those places where our magazine is usually distributed have been closed or virtually empty, there have been few planes and airport lounges have been closed, empty hotel rooms, closed resorts and many restaurants and cafes shuttered. So rather than printing this, our 32nd edition of Pacific Island Living, we are publishing it electronically and transmitting it to an even larger number of recipients than normal.

We hope you enjoy the magazine and remain inspired by what’s on offer around the islands. And as soon as you are able, get on a plane and get over here for that long denied holiday break in paradise.

Happy reading and hope to see you soon, in print and in our perfectly maintained post-iso paradise.
– Tiffany Carroll and Craig Osment