By Ezra Toara
Copyright dailypost
Director of the Department of Tourism (DoT), Paul Pio, has highlighted Vanuatu’s diverse attractions and the potential of the tourism sector to draw more Japanese investors.
He made the remarks at a Business Forum held this week. The forum, organised by the Vanuatu Foreign Investment Promotion Agency (VFIPA), aimed to strengthen dialogue between government, the private sector, and development partners while promoting investment opportunities, tourism, and trade between Japan and Vanuatu.
In his presentation, Director Pio acknowledged challenges that have affected Vanuatu’s tourism sector over the past two years, including the impacts of natural disasters and the 2024 airline liquidation, which led to a 2% drop in visitor arrivals. Despite these setbacks, he noted that Vanuatu still welcomed around 120,000 visitors in its best year, demonstrating strong potential for growth.
He said Vanuatu currently has eight international carriers servicing the country and expects further growth in arrivals through both air and cruise tourism. Cruise numbers, which slowed in 2024, are projected to recover in 2025, with expectations of surpassing previous benchmarks.
Director Pio also discussed the importance of targeting Asian markets, including Japan, China, and other regional partners. He said around 4,000 to 5,000 visitors already come from Asian countries, with opportunities to expand the Japanese market to several thousand arrivals annually.
“Japanese visits are very likely to increase. We see strong opportunities to develop tailored tourism programs for this market,” he said.
The DoT Director added that tourism investments should not only boost visitor numbers but also focus on sustainability and community involvement. He noted the need for partnerships in areas such as accommodation, hospitality, renewable energy, and construction materials, observing that local businesses require greater support to meet growing demand.
He reaffirmed that tourism is one of Vanuatu’s strongest assets, capable of driving investment, creating employment for young people, and strengthening cultural connections with international partners, particularly Japan.
