North Queensland tourism potential overlooked, says frequent visitor

December 5, 2024 9:54 pm | Posted in Business News | Share now TwitterFacebook

By Doddy Morris.

Reece Blacklock, a business owner in North Queensland and frequent visitor to Vanuatu, says the Vanuatu Tourism Office (VTO) appears to be doing little to promote Vanuatu to Australian holidaymakers.

According to Mr. Blacklock, Qantas has resumed flights, but passenger numbers remain low. He says his contacts in the resort industry report that occupancy rates are underwhelming, and staff fear for their job security.

“I mentioned an opportunity to the VTO that I believed could help put Vanuatu in the minds of people in North Queensland,” he told the Daily Post.

“Here is yet another example of Vanuatu missing out. Fiji obviously sees the potential in North Queensland, but Vanuatu does not.

“It appears to me that the VTO does not listen to others. They don’t understand that things have changed since COVID-19. Many Australians purchased caravans during the pandemic. These are the people who would normally travel to Vanuatu. Vanuatu needs to look further afield to attract visitors. It seems Fiji has done its homework.

“With the new flights from Qantas, I haven’t seen any promotion from Vanuatu tourism in northern Australia. Vanuatu tourism is asleep at the wheel.”

In July, in light of Vanuatu’s struggles with COVID-19 impacts and Air Vanuatu’s operational issues, Mr. Blacklock felt compelled to offer his assistance to the Vanuatu tourism department.

“I offered to set up a Vanuatu tourism branch in our shop to assist people in exploring holiday options within Vanuatu,” he said. “Given our many visits and passion for Vanuatu, I thought we were qualified to share our knowledge.

“We discovered that very few people in North Queensland know much about Vanuatu. Bali is the go-to overseas holiday destination. We offered to dedicate a section of our business to display and promote Vanuatu exclusively, including sharing information on social media.

“Our intention was to do this at no cost, provided Vanuatu supplied written materials and pictures. To my disappointment, they weren’t interested. You’d think an opportunity to promote Vanuatu for free would be embraced, but it wasn’t,” he said.

He added that the VTO seems passive and fails to promote Vanuatu adequately. He has never seen Vanuatu advertised in North Queensland, apart from a Channel 9 Travel Guidesstory, which he finds disappointing given the region’s demand for holiday destinations.

In response, the VTO stated that since the announcement of new aviation services, it has been working diligently to refine its marketing strategies and capitalise on opportunities.

“With the confirmation of new aviation routes, VTO is collaborating closely with airline partners to expand Vanuatu’s reach in key markets, especially in Australia,” it stated.

“One of our current priorities is Southeast Queensland, a region critical to the country’s tourism landscape. Thanks to through-fare options introduced by several airline partners, it has become easier for travellers to book seamless flights to Port Vila.

“As a result, VTO has intensified marketing efforts in this area, focusing on regions with high potential due to their proximity and strong travel ties to Vanuatu. Resources are allocated based on market priorities and partnership opportunities.”

VTO added that its targeted campaigns have concentrated on Southeast Queensland and other markets supported by through-fare options, enabling easier travel from Australia to Port Vila.

“Unfortunately, at this stage, we have not extended these efforts to North Queensland, which currently accounts for less than 1% of total travel to Vanuatu,” VTO stated.

“We are encouraged by the positive feedback from airline partners, who have introduced discounted airfares and promotions to drive visitor numbers. Their support has been invaluable, and bookings to Vanuatu remain strong.

“In addition, we have engaged with social media platforms and various media outlets to raise awareness about Vanuatu, including Lonely Planet naming Vanuatu among the Top 10 Countries to Visit in 2025, which will undoubtedly boost our visibility in key markets.

“That said, aviation access from Australia remains approximately 18% below pre-pandemic levels, which continues to impact the recovery of many tourism operators.”