PTI Australia announces expanded support for Vanuatu tourism operators
March 12, 2025 9:48 pm | Posted in Business News | Share now TwitterFacebook
Pacific Trade Invest (PTI) Australia have announced a significant expansion to their tourism work in Vanuatu, offering an additional ten operators the opportunity to participate in their highly successful Digital Tourism Program.
The initiative seeks to contribute to the Vanuatu Government’s plan for earthquake recovery, focusing on efforts to boost the economy and assist the private sector, said PTI in a statement.
PTI Australia’s Digital Tourism Program already supports 11 Vanuatu-based tourism operators, including both accommodation and activity providers. The program works directly with participants to establish and maintain a strong digital presence that increases direct online bookings. This includes funding website development and hosting costs, as well as implementing integrated booking systems, payment gateways, and property management functionalities.
Launched in 2012, PTI Australia’s Digital Tourism Program has supported over 803 operators and in 2024 alone, generated more than A$50 million in direct bookings for tourism operators across the Blue Pacific.
The announcement of Vanuatu’s extended program was made on Monday at the Vanuatu-Australia Business Week’s Tourism Workshop by Onorina Fugawai, PTI Australia’s Tourism Manager. Fugawai said the program’s expansion aims to bolster commercial growth and resilience across the tourism industry in the wake of the recent earthquake.
“We are pleased to announce that as part of Vanuatu’s diligent recovery efforts, PTI Australia is offering ten additional Vanuatu-based tourism operators a place in our Digital Tourism Program. Our bespoke program is designed to tangibly get tourism businesses up and online, in secure and optimised ways. We believe that digital infrastructure is now a central component of commercial resilience, and we look forward to working alongside our partners, stakeholders and clients, to deliver this more extensively across Vanuatu,” he said.
Edelene Albert, a participant of PTI Australia’s Digital Tourism Program since inception, speaks highly of the program’s approach, saying it has significantly boosted her businesses visibility to international guests which has led to increased bookings.
“PTI Australia’s presence here has given me so much support in what I’m doing. I was able to create a website, and they provided a booking engine and a channel manager for me to be able to market my B&B. The online presence that I have now is so important for the tourists that I have coming into my island.”
According to PTI Australia, the Digital Tourism Program facilitated almost A$2 million in bookings for Vanuatu-based operators in 2024, and projects that with the inclusion of the new participants, that figure could rise to A$5 million in 2025, given no further external disruptions to the sector.
Fugawai reiterated PTI Australia’s commitment to working closely with stakeholders and partners in Vanuatu to roll out the expanded program to viable participants.
“It is a privilege to be here in Vanuatu as part of the Vanuatu Australia Business Week and to contribute to the collaborative efforts of cultivating a strong local economy. We extend our sincere gratitude to the Vanuatu government for hosting us and to the Australian government for their ongoing support. We are eager to get started and to collaborate with the Vanuatu Tourism Office (VTO) to identify the best candidates for this program.”
Founded in 1979, PTI Australia is an agency of the Pacific Island Forum Secretariat. Funded by the Australian government, it facilitates trade and investment for Pacific Island countries.
