The Travel Bug 28
Issue 28 - June 2007
Air China Comes to Port Vila Bauerfield
Airport
In a first for Vanuatu, an Air China
Boeing 767 aircraft touched down at Port Vila’s Bauerfield Airport on the 28th March. Carrying the Vice Premier of
the Chinese State Council, Mr Zeng Peiyan, on a goodwill visit, the aircraft is the largest type yet to service the
country. Access to the country is largely provided in narrow body Boeing 737 jets out of ports in Australia, New
Zealand, Fiji, Noumea and the nearby Solomon Islands.
According to Airports Vanuatu Limited
CEO, Hendry Joewangeh, the airport design can accommodate widebody aircraft, but this is the first time that there
has actually been widebody operations from Port Vila. He says there has been a general misconception with the
tourism industry that high terrain around Bauerfield Airport precludes larger, longer haul aircraft from landing
and taking off at the country’s premier airport.
The Air China flight is a graphic
demonstration of the capability of Bauerfield International Airport to accommodate wide body aircraft. The fact
that it is an Asian airline is also significant he says. Airports Vanuatu Limited is continuing active dialogue
with a number of operators regarding the possibility of widebody services operating from Asia to Port Vila, to
provide more direct access to the growing number of visitors from Asia and Europe travelling via major Asian
gateways. (Source: Airports Vanuatu Limited)
Pacific Islands Air Service
Agreement
The regional agreement amongst the
island countries of the Pacific to open up their skies to each other’s airlines is just one step short of coming
into force. The Tongan Minister for Transportation Hon. Paul Karalus says Vanuatu has become the fifth signatory
but six nations have to ratify the Pacific Islands Air Services Agreement (PIASA) to make it a reality. Paul
Karalus says the five countries that have ratified the agreement are Cook Islands, Nauru, Samoa, Tonga and Vanuatu.
This agreement according to Karalus is a regional agreement that will provide for a multi-lateral basis for
liberalising air services between the Forum Island Countries. He says PIASA's main objective is to establish a
framework for the gradual integration of aviation services of the Forum members in a way that is fully supportive
of sustainable development of the Forum island countries. (Source: Tonga
Now News 22/05/2007)
Australia’s Tourism $81 Billion
Industry
Tourism is now an $81 billion industry
in Australia, an increase of $4 billion according to the newly released ABS Tourism Satellite Account. The report
also showed tourism exports have broken the $20 billion mark for the first time, reaching $20.5 billion in 2005-06,
an increase of 4.6 percent. Employment in the tourism industry also grew by 5,900 jobs to 464,500 jobs, meaning
tourism employs more than mining (130,000 jobs) and agriculture, forestry, and fishing (356,000 jobs).
(Source: Tourism Australia Newsletter
18/05/2007)
Samoa 2007 XIII South Pacific Games
The 2007 XIII (13th) South Pacific
Games is the region’s sports event of the year, commencing from 25th August – 8th September. Samoa will host 22
Island countries and territories in an unforgettable battle for South Pacific sporting supremacy. Thirty-three
sports will be played in world class indoor and outdoor facilities, 14 action packed days of full on competition as
the Pacific’s best athletes go head to head for games glory. Given the huge commitment and focus by Government and
the Samoan community on preparations for the South Pacific Games, the Teuila Festival along with the Miss Teuila,
which are annual events attracting visitors near and far have undergone slight changes for this year in support of
the games. (Source:
Samoa Tourism Authority)
New Staff Uniform and Logo for Evergreen Tours in
Vanuatu
2007 marks a year of change for
Evergreen Tours from Vanuatu who have come out with a new logo and a new office staff uniform. Grooming and
presentation is top priority and Evergreen would like to keep up to the trend of looking smart and presentable to
their guests while maintaining the ‘island touch’. Evergreen also recently purchased a new 5 seater bus to add to
their fleet. Evergreen is 100 percent locally owned and run by indigenous staff. Proudly established for almost 8
years, running exclusive tours to the famous Mele Cascades Waterfall, one of Port Vilas popular attractions and
also Islandreams Glass Bottom Kayaking Tour and EDGE Abseiling. Evergreen tours is now in the process of putting
together our new tour booklet which features our exclusive tours and Efate’s popular
tours. (Source:
Evergreen Tours)
Ocean Swim Comes to the Solomon
Islands
The inaugural Solomon Islands Ocean
Swim will be held on Saturday 7th July 2007 in the clear waters off Babanga Island near Gizo in the Western
Province of the Solomon Islands. Gizo is the Provincial Capital and the centre of trade & tourism in the
Western Province. It is also famous for its magnificent dive sites and surrounding island communities and villages
steeped in the Tradition & Culture of the Solomon Islands. The Solomon Islands Ocean Swim will give swimmers
the choice of either a 3Km or 1.5Km swim over a course set in the lagoon off Babanga Island, home of Fatboys and
Sanbis Resort, just a few minutes by boat from Gizo Town. There will also be the option to join in on the 5.7Km PT
109 Swim two days later.
The swim will follow the swim strokes
of former President JF Kennedy as part of retracing his epic swim and trek to find help for his crew after his PT
109 Patrol Boat was rammed and sunk by the Japanese Destroyer, Amagiri in WWII. The PT 109 Swim was the idea first
organized in 2003 to commemorate the 60th Anniversary of the sinking of JFK’s patrol boat. The PT 109 Swim is now
part of the programme for the Solomon Islands Ocean Swim. The other aim for the swim, is to raise funds to assist
Gizo Hospital and Gizo Community School in their rehabilitaton. Solomon Airlines flies daily between Brisbane and
Honiara with connecting flights on to Gizo. For further information on the event
contact info@pacificswims.com For more flight details click www.flysolomons.com and for accommodation and general information about the Solomon Islands you can visit SIVB
website on www.visitsolomons.com.sb or email SIVB on info@sivb.com.sb (Source: Solomon Islands Visitors
Bureau)
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