Vanuatu Tourism Industry Shows Resilience and Optimism in 2024

The Pacific Tourism Organisation (SPTO), in collaboration with the Vanuatu Tourism Office (VTO), released the January-June 2024 International Visitor Survey (IVS) Report. The report examines key aspects such as visitor profiles, decision-making processes, expenditure patterns, and satisfaction levels, supporting efforts to enhance the tourism experience and foster sustainable growth.

Under SPTO’s Pacific Tourism Data Initiative (PTDI), the survey analyzed 1,036 responses from 1,215 collected, representing 8.5% of actual visitors with a 10% response rate. The findings reveal that 56% of respondents were first-time visitors, with an average household income of USD 104,632.

Visitors cited Vanuatu’s relaxing atmosphere, island lifestyle, and diverse activities as the primary reasons for their trip. The majority travelled for holidays, followed by business purposes and visits to family and friends.

This report underscores the importance of understanding visitor preferences to drive sustainable tourism development in Vanuatu and across the Pacific region.

The report reveals that 91% of respondents would recommend Vanuatu to others, and 73% expressed a willingness to return. The average prepaid spend per respondent was USD 3,546, with an estimated 62.5% contributing directly to the local economy. Additionally, in-country spending averaged USD 709 per trip, with visitors staying an average of 9 nights, resulting in an estimated economic impact of USD 68 million.

Visitors praised the friendliness of the Ni-Vanuatu people but highlighted areas for improvement in public services, infrastructure, and transport. The IVS data provides valuable insights into visitor experiences, and a comprehensive overview of Vanuatu’s tourism sector during the first half of 2024.

The voluntary liquidation of Air Vanuatu in May 2024 posed significant challenges, disrupting air transportation and impacting tourist arrivals. However, the increased frequency of daily  Virgin Australia and Fiji Airways flights has provided a more reliable travel option, boosting tourist numbers and stabilizing the sector. Additionally, the Melanesian Arts Festival, held in July 2023, continued to attract visitors in 2024, enhancing Vanuatu’s reputation as a cultural tourism destination.

Vanuatu Tourism Chief Executive Officer Adela Issachar-Aru mentioned that despite ongoing challenges, the outlook for Vanuatu’s tourism industry remains cautiously optimistic.

“Efforts to strengthen infrastructure and build resilience, combined with a focus on air connectivity, workforce development, and restoring market confidence to our consumers through increased destination brand awareness, will be vital for sustainable growth. With strategic planning and investment, we are confident that the sector can achieve a promising future, fully aligned with the Vanuatu Sustainable Tourism Strategy (2021-2025),” said Ms Issachar-Aru.

Highlighting the significance of the Pacific Tourism Data Initiative (PTDI) in delivering actionable insights, SPTO CEO Christopher Cocker emphasized its role in understanding tourism trends across Vanuatu and the wider Pacific region.

The PTDI is a key component of SPTO’s Phase 2 Pacific Digital Tourism Transformation project, funded by the New Zealand Government. It aims to enable evidence-based decision-making through the annual publication of three critical reports: a bi-annual International Visitor Survey (IVS), an annual Business Confidence Index (BCI), and an annual Community Attitude Survey (CAS). These reports cover ten Pacific Island nations: Cook Islands, Niue, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Tonga, Kiribati, Timor-Leste, and the Federated States of Micronesia (Yap).