Update from Tourism Tonga ^Featured

I hope you had an opportunity to enjoy the Easter break but also to boost your business with some Easter tourists. There have been a lot of visitors around over the past weeks and indications are that the season is starting to kick off!

Currently the Tourism Tonga team are finishing off the Touring map with an eastern,western and central driving trails.

Fay and I did a ‘test drive’ of the routes this past weekend and with a bit of tidying up, the copy will be finished and off to the printers within the fortnight. These will be free to all operators and we will circulate them through the Visitor Information Centre in Vuna Road.

Associated with that is our signage plan. It’s been a bit of a task but is almost finished and the location and content for the signs for Tongatapu and Ha’apai will be finalised soon. Both of these projects (the trail guide and signage) are part of the Tonga New Zealand Tourism Partnership generously funded by the NZ government.

Tonga was visited by the Honourable Julie Bishop MP, the Australian Foreign Minister and as well as meeting with the Prime Minister and government officials, Ms Bishop met with representatives of sector groups. I had the opportunity to talk with Ms Bishop at the commissioner’s residence at a function hosted by Ambassador H.E. Brett Adlam. It is good to see the interest in economic development and the role that Tourism plays is of interest to the Australian government.

Christine Poplimont from Bookings.com has recently been in Vava'u talking to some of the operators. Here are some interesting statistics from booking.com

Booked Bookings: approximately 200+ per month depending on the season (up 35% compared to 2014)
Booked Room Nights: between 800 and 1000 per month depending on the month (up 35% compared to 2014)

They currently work with 38 accommodation providers, more than last year which partly explains the growth they have experienced.

Average Length of Stay: 4.29 nights (an increase of 27% compared to 2014) This is excellent news!!!!
Average Booking Window: 108 days (an increase of 29% compared to 2014)

It is great to hear that Bookings.com have noticed a trend with customers booking earlier in advance and staying longer in Tonga. It will be interesting to hear if other booking agents are experiencing the same.

On an associated front, I have been told that travel agents in NZ and Australia are desperately rescheduling holidays for customers who were booked into various resorts and holidays in Vanuatu. I know all of you who were affected by Cyclone Ian last year will sympathise with your colleagues in Vanuatu and understand the ordeal they are going through.

Certainly we don’t want to profit others’ misfortune but there could very well be a number of holiday makers who arrive in Tonga having had their plans for Vanuatu cancelled.

Fay and the Marketing team have been working hard to attract more yachts to Tonga, especially into the outer islands. This involves producing resources and information for the yachties, and supporting events.

The Pacific Circuit Rally will take place in May from Opua in New Zealand with 25 yachts (60- 65 participants and crew) expected to arrive in Ha'apai May 11th to 13th and staying until 8th June. The Ha'apai operators are supporting the event also, with welcome parties and other activities to keep the yachties busy whilst they are in the Kingdom. More events are planned for next year.

Finally in this ‘Weekly Wrap’, I am sad to say that I have informed our Board that I will be leaving my role as General Manager of Tourism Tonga at the end of the month. I am disappointed because there is a lot of unfinished business but I also believe that the industry is in good heart with changes that have taken place and with more changes over the rest of the year, I believe the hard working operators in Tonga will prosper. I have accepted a role back in NZ and start there in early May.

There will be at least two more weekly wraps before I depart and I will endeavour to catch up with as many of you as possible before I leave.

Yours in Tourism
Kindest Regards

Stuart Perry
General Manager
Tourism Tonga
(Tonga Tourism Authority)
00676 781 9830
www.tongaholiday.com