The Travel Bug 23

Issue 23 - January 2007

Australia - New Caledonia's Top Holiday Destination

Australia remain the most attractive holiday destinations for holidaymakers from neighbouring New Caledonia, latest statistics released by the local statistical institute ISEE revealed. The new figures, based on outgoing flights from New Caledonia, show that out of the yearly 100,000 or so departures from residents (for a total population of about 230,000), about 37 percent chose Australia as their preferred destination. Within Australia, New Caledonian holidaymakers have a history for visiting the Brisbane region and its Gold Coast, where any New Caledonians have, for years, also chosen to invest in a property. Mainland France is the second choice, with about 30 percent. The other two significant destinations are also New Caledonia's closest neighbours, New Zealand and Vanuatu, local television Télé-Nouvelle-Calédonie reports. (Source: Oceania Flash 04/01/2007)

Samoa’s Coconuts Beach Club Resort Update

Coconuts Beach Club Resort & Spa is pleased to announce the advancement of two of its top managers. Ned Brown, who for the past ten and an half years has acted as General Manager of the resort, will advance to the position of Chief Financial Officer of the corporation, effective January 1, 2006. Ned’s responsibilities will include accounting and finances, cost control, revenue management, marketing, overseas purchasing, corporate development and acquisitions. Lina Bell, who began her career with Coconuts 12 years ago and for the past 4 years has served as Resort Manager, will assume the position of General Manager of the resort, also effective January 1, 2007. Lina’s responsibilities will encompass all day-to-day operations at the resort and serving as cultural liaison. Ned and Lina have made significant contributions towards the development of Coconuts Beach Club Resort and Spa into Samoa’s most distinctive and popular upscale resort, and both have expressed their excitement at continuing this effort in their new roles. Effective January 1, 2007, Lina may be contacted at manager@coconuts.ws and Ned may be contacted at cfo@coconuts.ws. (Source: Coconuts Beach Club Resort and Spa Update Press Release 26/12/2006)

Fiji Beach Listed Among Sexiest

One of Fiji's most popular beaches has been listed in an American travel magazine as among the world's sexiest. Natadola has been listed by Forbes Traveler as one of the top 25 sexy beaches, alongside world renowed beaches such as Copacabana and Ipanema beaches in Rio de Janeiro, Paradise Beach on Mykonos Island and Tahiti Beach at St Tropez. The only Australian beach to make the list was Byron Bay. The US travel special sought out the sexiest spots on the sand around the world based on the beaches that not only had a sexy look and location, but attracted the sexiest people. (Source: Fiji Times 02/01/2007)

Final Call for Japan Starter Pack

It’s the largest supplier of visitors to the Pacific – over 4 million in 2005. Japan. Most visit North Pacific islands, but even Australia and New Zealand welcome 800,000 Japanese. South Pacific islands receive only 2 percent of Japanese visitors to the Pacific so there is opportunity for further development. Japanese outbound has been soft in recent years, but there are signs that a prolonged economic recession may be over. The Starter Pack is designed for member businesses making their first attempt to penetrate the Japanese market. Businesses will be taken to meet beach and marine specialist travel agencies in Tokyo and Osaka. These agents by nature tend to be small and FIT focused, and carry a range of specialist products. Subject to sufficient interest, the Starter Pack would take place in the 2nd week of April 2007. Cost is JPY 116,000 (approx USD980) per participant, excluding your international airfares. Cost covers guidance and introduction around agents’ offices, interpretation and translation, market and agent profiles and data, budget accommodation, meals, and transport within Japan. Places are limited to a maximum of 5 member businesses on a first-come basis, and applications close January 31 2007. Contact teveritt@spto.org now for a prospectus. (Source: SPTO Update)

Brand South Pacific Going in the Right Direction

Happily, there is now some earnestness in developing a collective brand for the South Pacific region on the lines of how some South East Asian countries have successfully banded together pooling financial and infrastructural resources to form a single brand and deliver a well-coordinate though variegated cultural experience within a short duration for the global tourist. If only the countries of the South Pacific would cooperate in a similar fashion, there would be impressive symbiotic growth that would contribute handsomely to the regional tourism bottom-line while adding valuable tourist dollars individually to the islands themselves. (Source: Fiji Islands Business January 2007)

New Caledonia Seeks Unions Support to Build Tourism

New Caledonia Tourism says its five year plan to further develop the tourism industry involves a strong collaboration with the unions. Tourism New Caledonia’s general manager for New Zealand, Simon Duff, says it wants to boost tourism and has launched a two for one sale to lure visitors from New Zealand and Australia to the territory. Mr Duff says the union movement will not have an adverse effect on tourism. “The unions are quite strong in France and that has also an effect on the territories out there. I see the unions as part of the solution, it is not part of a problem. It is a matter of working with them. And this is where we want to go with tourism.” (Source: Radio New Zealand International News 08/08/2007)