Vanuatu sees strong tourism growth in January 2026 driven by increase in air and cruise arrivals

PORT VILA, VANUATU – April 16, 2026: The Vanuatu Bureau of Statistics (VBoS), the official statistics office for the government of Vanuatu responsible for the collection, compilation, analysis, and dissemination of statistical information, has reported a significant surge in international visitor arrivals for January 2026, highlighting continued strong momentum in the nation’s tourism recovery.

The increase was fueled by substantial growth in both air arrivals and a robust contribution from cruise tourism.

According to the latest International Visitor Arrivals update released on the 8th April, 9,657 international visitors arrived by air in January 2026, marking a 44 % increase compared to the same period in January 2025.

Holiday travel remained the primary driver for air arrivals, accounting for 77% of all visitors. Australia solidified its position as Vanuatu’s largest tourism market, contributing 63% of all international visitors arriving by air.

The cruise sector made a major contribution to the overall visitor numbers for the month. A total of 11 cruise ships brought 36,017-day visitors, representing 79% of all visitors during January.

The report also noted that the average length of stay for air arrivals was 10 days, with the average visitor age recorded at 36 years old.

This strong performance, particularly from the key Australian market and the dynamic cruise sector, reflects the continued successful efforts in restoring and growing Vanuatu’s tourism industry largely driven by marketing campaigns happening in key source markets.