2008 Travel
Newsletters
Month by month index of 2008 newsletters
The Travel Bug, Vanuatu travel newsletter, continued to be published monthly in 2008,
bringing more travel and tourism news from Vanuatu and the South Pacific region.
January 2008 - The Travel Bug 35
- Growing Tourism in Vanuatu in 2008 - further development and
promotion of the tourism industry in Vanuatu
- Vanuatu Tourism Awards - presented in December at The Sebel
Hotel
- Rock Star Alanis Morissette Visits Rabi island, in Fiji - for her
humanitarian tour of cyclone damaged islands
- Surge in New Domain Name Registrations for dot.travel - reported
by registrar EnCirca
- 2007 - One of Safest Years for Air Travel - Aircraft Crashes
Record Office cites 2007 as one of the safest in 40 years of air travel
- Worldwide Promo for Bora Bora after Eddie Murphy marries
there
- Tahiti, Moorea, Raiatea, Bora Bora Due to Join 21st Century Internet World in
2010 - plans to install broadband connection to most of French Polynesia
February 2008 - The Travel Bug 36
- Vanuatu Increase in Tourist Arrivals - a 19 percent increase
reported for 2007
- India - Fast Growing Tourism Market - New Zealand reports a 30
percent increase in visitors in 2007
- Surf’s Up In Solomons Islands - surfers provide a welcome boost to
tourism numbers
- Air Vanuatu New Plane - 10-year old Boeing 737-300 upgraded to a
737-800
- Coffee Making Training Package in Port Villa - a special set of
training CD’s created and donated to the Vanuatu Hospitality Tourism & Leisure Training
Centre
- Air New Zealand - World's Best in Passenger
Service - judged by the prestigious Air Transport World magazine awards
- Vanuatu Tourism Website is Proving Popular - page views and hits
increase recorded by vanuatutourism.com
March 2008 - The Travel Bug 37
- Successful South Pacific Seminar in Sydney - Agent Seminar held at
the Grace Hotel in Sydney CBD
- Airbus 380 Flying to New Zealand - Emirates fly the superjumbo on
its trans-Tasman route
- Mount Yasur Volcano Activity - Tanna island volcano shows some
activity
- VTO Tok Tok in New Caledonia - 2008 3-day event to be held in
Noumea
- Air Vanuatu and Air Tahiti new ATR-72 Aircraft - both airlines to
purchase new French-built turbo-prop aircraft
- Santo Water Music Festival - held at Deco Stop Lodge's swimming
pool
- New General Manager for Vanuatu Tourism
April 2008 - The Travel Bug 38
- Vanuatu and Santo Ocean Swims Update - events scheduled for 7th
and 10th June
- Vanuatu Holiday Accommodation Growth - study shows a steady
increase in the number of holiday accommodation places in Vanuatu
- Vanuatu 2008 Tok Tok Dates - to be held in August Thursday 28th
and Friday 29th
- Vanuatu Tourism Office at Tabua Awards BFTE 2008
- Justin Wellington in Port Vila 19th-26th April - popular
Australasia's singer 3rd trip to Vanuatu
- Vanuatu and Fiji Safest Family Destinations - voted by the family
travel magazine Out & About With Kids
- Rocket Guide to Vanuatu Launches New Website
May 2008 - The Travel Bug 39
- The Lodge Opens on Santo Island - the perfect location for
travellers to Espiritu Santo Island
- Vanuatu National Sand Drawing Festival - the Sesivi community on
West Ambrym Island in Vanuatu was the host village
- Santo Tourism Association’s visit to Brisbane & Gold
Coast
- Vanuatu Round Island Relay Update - 10-runner teams to relay their
baton on 138kms of the most amazing and unique terrains
- Marketing Manager Vacancy Position at VTO - open to all Ni-Vanuatu
nationals based in Port Vila
- Australian Tenor Bernard Hull Vanuatu Concert - will be held on
17. May at the University of the South Pacific
June 2008 - The Travel Bug 40
- Vanuatu Attends BFTE Tourism Exchange - at the Warwick Hotel on
the Coral Coast, Fiji
- Direct Melbourne - Port Vila flights - the launch was attended by
approximately 120 travel agents from Melbourne
- Pacific Pavilion at Shanghai World Expo 2010
- Turtle Bay Resort Opening on Santo Island - reopening after
undergoing extensive renovations
July 2008 - The Travel Bug 41
- Vanuatu's First World Heritage Site - Chief Roi Mata’s Domain is
the first site in Vanuatu to be granted World Heritage status
- 2008 Tusker Billfish Classic - annual fishing tournament run by
the non-profit Port Vila Game Fishing Club
- HTLTC Launches Cocktail Making Course - Hospitality Centre's new
course
- Aore Ocean Swim 2008 - there were 51 starters, of which 49
finished the race
- BLONG MI Fashions Exporting Vanuatu Fashions - secured their first
Distributor in Queensland Australia
August 2008 - The Travel Bug 42
- Pacific Blue Additional Flights to Vanuatu - two flights added,
from Brisbane and Sydney, to Port Vila
- The First Outer Island Hospitalty Training - conducted on Tanna
island
- Diving and Snorkeling at Vaughani Shores - close to Port
Vila
- Sovereign New Zealand Ocean Swim - from just two events, the
series has expanded to include five events in Auckland, Christchurch, and Wellington
September 2008 - The Travel Bug 43
- Vanuatu Fashions at Global Market Day Expo in
Brisbane
- Tanna's Yasur Volcano Activity Stable - volcano activity lower,
but with still a few variable explosions per day
- VIT Island Night in October - a fun night of music, food, drinks,
& dance
- Educational Tour of New Zealand - 18 Hospitality Tourism Leisure
Centre students partake in a 2-week educational tour
- Barista Vanuatu Competition to be Held in November - annual
International Barista Competition to be held on 13th and 14th November
October 2008 - The Travel Bug 44
- "Rhapsody of the Seas" cruise ship in Vanuatu - Royal Caribbean
International Cruiseliner 2nd visit to Vanuatu
- Nominations Open for Vanuatu Tourism Awards 2008
- Air Vanuatu Tourism Class for Hospitality Students - a practical
class in Inbound and Outbound tourism, and Ticketing at the Airport
- Ladies Melbourne Cup Luncheon 4th November at Golf Club - Port
Vila Golf and Country Club to host the Luncheon
- New Manager Appointed for Le Méridien Port Vila Resort Spa &
Casino - Arjun Channa appointed as new manager
November 2008 - The Travel Bug 45
- Port Vila Day - Saturday 29th November - the venue for this
special event is along Seafront Park
- New VTO Australian Representative Sought - the Australian
representative will be a key driver of sales from this market
- Goodies Exchange opens new outlet - best known gift shop in Port
Vila
- Vanuatu Tourism Awards Nominations Extended until 18th
November
- Saint Andrew’s Day Cultural Festival - held on Rah
Island
- VTO at 2009 Consumer Travel Shows in NZ
- 10 Years of Espiritu Santo Tourism Association
- Vanuatu Swims Promotion at Fiji Ocean Swim
- Bula Fiji Tourism Exchange 2009 Registrations
December 2008 - The Travel Bug 46
- Green Travel Newsletter - launched by whl.travel
network
- 2008 Vanuatu Tourism Awards - the awards were presented in a
spectacular Gala dinner held on Saturday 6th December at Le Lagon Resort
- Vanuatu Tourism Summit - held in Port Vila, where 80 people
attended
- New Tanna Lodge Villas - 13 spacious Melanesian styled Villas,
only 20 minutes from Whitegrass airport
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