News

Although 2020 is not what we had all planned, we are working hard to see the positives and as such we want to communicate some of our achievements with Vinaka Fiji this year. Whilst we did not have the volunteer numbers that open borders give us, we still managed to achieve […]

An updated regional report on sustainable development across the region is aimed at ensuring Pacific People’s well-being through the Blue Pacific identity, the proposed 2050 Strategy and the achievement of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, says Forum Secretary General, Dame Meg Taylor.  But she says slow progress and ongoing […]

A Samoan has become the University of Otago’s first female doctor promoted to Professor. Faumuina Professor Fa’afetai Sopoaga, the daughter of Reverend Nomeneta and Lili Sopoaga, from Fagaloa, is also the first female Pacific medical doctor to become a Professor in Australia. She joins 25 other academics promoted this week, […]

A business start-up that set up an online travel service targeting local small to medium-sized enterprises is the winner of the Seedstars competition in Samoa and will now move to compete at the regional level. BookingSamoa – a business start-up created by residents, Geoff Cullen and Kevin Hartin – will […]

It will be the longest 24 hours at sea for 33 Tokelauans who are finally heading home after spending almost a month in a quarantine hotel in Samoa But the trip is expected to be one of the happiest for the islanders who set sail from Samoa on Wednesday relieved […]

If you are still looking for a place to celebrate Christmas and New Year 2020, the Shangri-La’s Fijian Resort & Spa prepared a very special accommodation package that included special evenings to celebrate the festive season and New Years The detail is included on the two flyers below. Celebrates Festive […]

A local tourism survey will be conducted over the next two weeks through Vodafone and Digicel as well as through social media and other electronic platforms. Data gathered from the survey will be analysed and made available to local tourism operators to better package and price their products for the […]

Cathay Pacific is seeking to help customers travel with confidence by collaborating with AXA General Insurance Hong Kong to provide free Covid-19 coverage to all passengers whenever they fly. Customers who travel with Cathay Pacific before February 28th will be covered for medical expenses related to a Covid-19 diagnosis incurred […]

Facebook today released its ‘State of Small Business Report’, based on the ‘Future of Business Survey’—an ongoing collaborative effort conducted alongside the World Bank and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). Over the past six months, over 150,000 small businesses around the globe have been surveyed as part […]

Pending Health Canada approval, “Canadians will be getting vaccinated starting next week,” said Prime Minister Justin Trudeau at a press conference on Monday (Dec. 7). Trudeau said that Canada has secured an agreement to receive its first batch of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine this month, a delivery that amounts to up to 249,000 doses. “We’re facing the […]

PNG-based Kina Securities Ltd, which owns Kina Bank, has entered into sale and purchase agreements with Westpac. Kina Securities has announced it is to acquire 89.91 percent of Westpac’s banking operations in PNG and 100 percent of its Fiji operations. The overall purchase price is $US311 million, or over a […]

Collaborating with AXA General Insurance Hong Kong Limited, Cathay Pacific is providing free COVID-19 cover to all passengers who fly with Cathay Pacific, effective immediately through to 28 February 2021. The insurance cover is automatically applied when customers book their flight, and offers cover for medical expenses related to a COVID-19 […]

In recognition of the very valuable travel agents in Australia and New Zealand, and their ongoing support and bookings, Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) has announced that it will launch a new rewards program, ‘Partners First Rewards’, to reward agents, in 2021. The new rewards program will cover three key areas:· […]

A UK grandmother has become the first person in the world to be given the Pfizer Covid-19 jab as part of a mass vaccination programme. Margaret Keenan, who turns 91 next week, said the injection she received at 06:31 GMT was the “best early birthday present”. It was the first […]

Built on input from agents, on what training and information was needed to support them to sell Papua New Guinea, the new destination training website, launched by Papua New Guinea Tourism Promotion Authority (PNGTPA) this month, aims to immerse agents in the unique stories of this exciting destination. We are really hopeful […]

Negotiators clinched a political deal last Thursday on a new, 20-year treaty that will broadly define relations between the EU’s 27 member countries and 79 nations that belong to the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS) The new treaty will replace the Cotonou Agreement, which was enacted in 2000 […]

The Sigatoka River Safari has this year incurred a substantial loss because of COVID-19. However, managing director Jay Whyte is adamant that business would soon pick up for them. He said as a result of the pandemic the business had only been able to employ a few of its staff. […]

The number of destinations closed to international tourism has continued to fall. According to the eighth edition of the UNWTO Travel Restrictions Report, 70% of all global destinations have eased restrictions on travel introduced in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. In comparison, just one in four destinations continue to keep their […]

As part of Phase 2 of the Fijian COVID Safe Economic Recovery Framework (Framework), on behalf of the Fijian Government, the COVID-19 Risk Mitigation Taskforce (CRMT) is pleased to announce the “Luxury Vacation in Paradise” initiative in partnership with Fiji Airways and the Fijian tourism industry. Globally, services-driven countries are […]