News

Turama Pacific Travel Group, which operates (among other things) the Island Hopper Vacations brand, has a number of new Cook Islands tours and packages available for the trade and their clients. Managing director, Robert Skews, says the last few months have given the company an opportunity to develop programmes around […]

The Pacific Tourism Organisation (SPTO) has concluded a 3-day plastics repurposing workshop in Nauru, benefitting over 20 participants from wide ranging backgrounds. Delivered under the Pacific Tourism Waste Action Initiative (PTWAI), with funding from the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat (PIFS), the workshop is a joint partnership between SPTO and Nauru […]

The Tourism Authority of Kiribati (TAK) carried out its first official visit to the new Australia High Commissioner to Kiribati, His Excellency Mr. David Yardley on Tuesday, 20 April 2021. Led by TAK CEO, Petero Manufolau, TAK took the opportunity to brief High Commissioner Yardley on the organization and its […]

20 April 2021 – Fiji Airways has been Certified with the highest level 5-Star COVID-19 Airline Safety Rating, becoming one of just six airlines worldwide to currently achieve this top recognition. The SKYTRAX COVID-19 Airline Safety Accreditation is regarded as a global benchmark for evaluating COVID-19 safe travel. The COVID-19 […]

A virtual trade exposition launched by New Caledonia and Fiji last week is targeting buyers and sellers in both countries. The E-Trade Exposition developed by Investment Fiji and New Caledonia Trade and Invest (NCTI), and supported by the Fijian, French and New Caledonian governments is expected to improve develop bilateral […]

Some Air New Zealand passengers might find themselves stepping onto the scales this week as the airline undertakes a survey to figure out the average weight of its customers. Seven Sharp presenter Hilary Barry was among those caught up in the airline’s weigh-in, and tweeted about her experience at Auckland Airport’s […]

The Health Ministry says they are wrapping up with the COVID-19 vaccination by tomorrow until the next batch arrives. There have been some centers around the country that have already run out of the jabs as people have been rushing to get injected. Health Ministry Permanent Secretary,  Doctor James Fong, says […]

Committed to building a brighter future for the planet, Beyond Green officially launches today as a curated guide for travellers seeking a more purposeful way to explore the world, featuring a global portfolio of 27 properties that exemplify sustainability in action. Debuting at the onset of a new era of travel, this […]

The Niue government has announced the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine will be used to innoculate the population against Covid-19. In a statement, the government says Pfizer is the only vaccine currently approved by Medsafe in New Zealand. The government plans to vaccinate everyone over the age of 16. New Zealand government gave […]

Australia is working in partnership with the Government of Timor-Leste to support its response to the devastating Easter floods and COVID-19 recovery. An Australian Medical Assistance Team (AUSMAT), comprising a senior epidemiologist and health support officer, arrived in Dili today on a Royal Australian Air Force C-17 flight. The AUSMAT […]

Australians will be able to head overseas for the first time in more than a year within days. The long-awaited New Zealand travel bubble will open for reciprocal quarantine-free travel on Monday. But impatient Australians are already setting their sights further and wondering where they could be headed to next. […]

Australians could be packing their bags for their next overseas adventure sooner than they think, according to travel experts. More holiday destinations have been earmarked for potential travel bubbles as Australians get ready to dust off their passports for the first time in more than a year following the coronavirus […]

Australians could be packing their bags for their next overseas adventure sooner than they think, according to travel experts. More holiday destinations have been earmarked for potential travel bubbles as Australians get ready to dust off their passports for the first time in more than a year following the coronavirus […]

The Cook Islands will be ready to accept Kiwi tourists from May 1, with or without New Zealand’s blessing or official two-way quarantine-free travel, the country’s prime minister says. In a recent interview during his tour to New Zealand in March, Cook Islands Prime Minister Mark Brown said his message is clear […]

SPTO Chief Executive, Christopher Cocker, conducted a series of tourism stakeholder meetings in Nadi from 7th – 9th April, with a wide range of partners including Radisson Fiji, Tourism Fiji, Association of South Pacific Airlines (ASPA), Society of Fiji Travel Associates (SOFTA) , Fiji Airways, Rosie Holidays, Pacific Destination, ANZ […]

Responsible tourism is very much on the minds of Virtuoso customers, according to new survey data from the consortium. The vast majority of those surveyed, 82%, said the pandemic has spurred them toward more responsible travel. And 70% said traveling sustainably enhances their vacation experience (only 7% disagreed with that […]

We are encouraged by the announcement that a quarantine-free travel arrangement will commence between Australia and New Zealand on April 19. This comes following the news that a two-way travel bubble between New Zealand and our Pacific Island neighbours, the Cook Islands, is slated for May. Samoa Tourism welcomes the […]

The New Zealand Tourism Research Institute (NZTRI) conducted the first of a series of capacity building workshops on online surveys for the Tourism Authority of Kiribati (TAK) on Wednesday 07 April 2021. The workshop follows the inclusion of Kiribati in phase two of the New Zealand MFAT- funded Pacific Tourism […]

A new partnership between the Cook Islands Investment Corporation (CIIC) and Cook Islands Tourism is set to enhance our national public spaces for the benefit of locals and tourists alike. Having signed a formal Memorandum Of Understanding last week, the two organisations are looking forward to an ongoing collaboration on […]

MSC Cruises has announced new and updated itineraries in the Mediterranean and across Europe for this coming summer with six ships back in operation in the Western and Eastern Mediterranean and four more ships cruising in Northern Europe. Gianni Onorato, CEO, MSC Cruises, said: “Today we have clarity on which […]