Weekly Update From Tourism Tonga 3

Real Tonga assure us that services to all outer islands are being maintained but of course the Jetstream is a smaller aircraft so at present fewer seats will be available short term. However Real Tonga have announced the arrival of a second Jetstream so from mid-March the seat availability will be back to normal. There is optimism in the industry that now the MA60 is grounded for Type Certification, that the NZ Travel Advisory will be lifted.

Next week as part of the Destination Development, three members of the Stafford Group will be in Vava’u to discuss investment opportunities. I will be with them and we will arrive Tuesday afternoon and return Wednesday afternoon. At this stage we are planning on a general meeting at the Pua at 5pm and then Albert Stafford and his team will meet with individuals on Wednesday. 

The Stafford Group are in Tongatapu Tuesday morning and Thursday and Friday before departing Friday afternoon. A number of meetings have already been planned but if you would like to get an appointment, contact Ebony at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and see what time is available.

Fay has just had a busy weekend in Melbourne at the consumer travel show there and Seini heads away to represent Tonga at the Flight Centre show in Christchurch this weekend.

For Tongatapu businesses, don’t forget that on February 24th the Queen Elizabeth and Asuka II cruise ships will be here Nukualofa. Over 3,000 passengers will descend on Tonga so be prepared for a busy day.

Tonga Business Enterprise Centre (TBEC) have a comprehensive business training schedule and their program for the first half of this year is attached. There are courses in Tongatapu, Ha’apai and Vava’u so make the most of the opportunities. Contact at TBEC is This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or phone 25 168 or 28 707.

The Tongatapu ‘self-guided tour’ maps - which is one of the projects that are being funded under the TNZTP program - is nearing completion and the artwork and content are being finished off this week. We expect that the final artwork will be approved in the next fortnight and it will go off to the printers and be delivered here in April.

The walking trail map for Neiafu is also underway and should be finished over the next month. A draft of this will be circulated for proofing in the next month and printed for use by peak season.

Tourism Tonga has put a proposal to Ministry of Foreign Affairs to print an upgraded Arrivals/Departure card which will carry promotional information and 5 ‘coupon advertisements’. Once this has been confirmed and approved, we will be offering the five ‘business card’ sized adverts to the first five takers. They must have a discount offer of some sort. More details next month.

Finally Mana would like more images from around the kingdom for the Facebook page. We have now over 35,000 likes and regular followers from around the world. So if you see that brilliant sunset, that magic moment on the beach, the visitor having a fabulous time, snap it and send it through. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.