Donor Partner Assistance Invited For Vanuatu Tourism Policy Development

The National Trade Development Committee (NTDC) has invited donor partners’ consideration for the development of the country’s National Sustainable Tourism Policy.
The invitation is one of the decisions of the second meeting of NTDC for 2017, chaired by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister responsible for trade, Joe Natuman, following discussion on the development of Vanuatu’s tourism sector, presented by Elizabeth Hanghangkon.
The meeting also invited donor partner consideration for the funding of Actions 8 on the development and implementation of a Tourism Human Resource Development Plan for the country.
As well, it invited donor partners to provide a pool of funding for developing tourism products through a low rate loan managed by the National Bank of Vanuatu as part of the initiative for supporting micro small medium operators.
The NTDC welcomed the significant progress of the Vanuatu Strategic Tourism Action Plan (VSTAP) in implementing the project activities outlined in for the meeting and reaffirms its decision to keep reporting on VSTAP implementation to the NTDC meetings.
It requested the Emergency Vanuatu Tourism Infrastructure Project (VTIP) Committee to continue planning for the opening of the VTIP seafront precinct with expressions of interest put out for the management of the seafront precinct as well as in managing the market vendors to occupy space in the new handicraft centre.
The NTDC meeting at The Melanesian Hotel in Port Vila requested the Ministry of Internal Affairs through the Public Land Transport Authority to start enforcing byelaws on regulation for the public land transport to manage the traffic management plan for Port Vila on cruise days including complete the process through State Law office for the amendments to the Act.
It requested the Vanuatu Cruise Tourism Committee and the Department of Tourism to complete the Luganville Traffic Management Plan in preparing for the opening for the Luganville wharf and cruise terminal. And the Ministry of Tourism & Ministry of Infrastructure to re-discuss cruise calls visiting Luganville and Port Vila port of call in 2018 with Carnival Australia & P & O Cruises.
It also requested the Ministry of Finance & Economic Management (MFEM) through the Department of Customs and Inland Revenue to consider the request for waiving of import duties for the water supply system for Mystery Island Cruise development.
The NTDC welcomed updates on the establishment of the Vanuatu Travel Safari as the inbound operator established for strengthening the inbound market segment for Vanuatu working with the Vanuatu Tourism Office (VTO). It also welcomed a sister city relationship between Fujian Province in China and the Luganville and Lenakel municipalities facilitated by the Chinese Embassy in Vanuatu.
It called for a digital tourism marketing training for micro small medium tourism operators to be conducted with the support of the Australia Pacific Trade and Investment in Australia.
The NTDC called for the development of tourism park concepts for the Sanma Local Government and Luganville Municipality under a concept coordinated by the Department of Tourism through a Council of Ministers paper for consideration of a feasibility study for the concept. Finally it welcomed the report for the ‘Seminar on Modern Tourism Development for Vanuatu’ though a bilateral agreement between Vanuatu and China.
 
(Source: Vanuatu Daily Post 23 August 2017)