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The Vanuatu Tourism Office (VTO) and Tourism Solomons Office (TSO) completed their second Online Refresher Training for 2026, under the Pacific Tourism Data Initiative (PTDI) with the Pacific Tourism Organisation (SPTO). The program was designed to enhance technical expertise in tourism data analysis, statistical interpretation, and report compilation, equipping staff with advanced skills in tools such as SPSS, Excel, and NVivo.
The week-long (23rd – 27th February 2026) Virtual Training via Zoom and Microsoft Teams refresher training focused on strengthening in-country capacity to produce International Visitor Survey (IVS) reports, supporting evidence-based tourism planning and policy development. Key analytical components included:
Country of Origin & Top Source Markets; Purpose of Trip & Travel Group Size; Airlines Used for Travel; Provinces & Islands Visited, Average Length of Stay; Accommodation Preferences & Satisfaction; Trip Planning & Previous Visits (including cruise ship visits)
Through practical sessions, participants refined their understanding of frequency analysis, weighting methods, and reconciliation with National Statistics Office visitor-arrival data, ensuring that IVS findings are statistically robust and aligned with international standards.
The Vanuatu Tourism Office and the Tourism Solomons Office are among ten Pacific Island countries participating in the PTDI, alongside the Cook Islands, Tonga, PNG, Niue, Samoa, Timor-Leste, and FSM-Yap. The New Zealand Government-funded initiative includes three core surveys—the bi-annual International Visitor Survey (IVS), annual Business Confidence Index (BCI), and annual Community Attitude Survey (CAS)—all designed to help Pacific nations better understand and shape the impact of tourism.
Participants praised the facilitator’s clear guidance and interactive approach, which helped them understand the purpose behind each analytical step. They highlighted the value of practical exercises in applying weighting techniques and aligning IVS survey data with NSO visitor arrival data. This strengthened confidence in handling complex datasets and reinforced good analytical practices as both offices work toward completing up to 70% of the January–December 2025 IVS Report.
SPTO Chief Executive Officer Christopher Cocker mentioned that the collaborative approach allowed staff to exchange practical experiences, compare methodologies, and troubleshoot challenges collectively.
“By working together, both offices reinforced common analytical standards and contributed to building a stronger regional community of practice in tourism research and statistics. The refresher training supports PTDI’s long-term objective of increasing the National Tourism Office’s ownership of tourism data analysis and reporting. By empowering VTO and TSO to independently compile key sections of their national tourism reports, the initiative is laying the foundation for stronger, evidence-based tourism planning across the Pacific,” Cocker said.
