Vanuatu Tour

Solomon Islanders particularly landowning groups and individuals who wish to venture into small scale tourism projects can learn a lot from Ni-Vanuatu tourism operators on small to medium scale tourism enterprises (SMEs) in Vanuatu.

This was the finding of a Solomon Islands tourism delegation led by the Minister of Culture & Tourism Hon. Samuel Manetoali which travelled to Vanuatu recently to attend the South Pacific Tourism Organization Board of Directors Meeting and the Council of Tourism Ministers Meeting held in Vila from 13th to 14th October.

The General Manager of SIVB Michael Tokuru who was part of the Solomon Islands delegation sends this report.
Apart from attending the two important regional tourism meetings, the Solomon Islands delegation had the opportunity to hold talks with tourism officials in Vanuatu and visit a number of successful small to medium tourism enterprises operated by Ni-Vanuatu which are located just outside the city and around the island of Efate where the capital Port Vila is situated.

One of the tourism projects operated by a Ni-Vanuatu landowning group is the Ekasup Cultural Village which is about 10 to 15 minutes drive from the capital and where the official welcome dinner and entertainment for the delegates to the SPTO Board and Tourism Ministers were held.
Another tourism project to learn from is the Evergreen Cascades Waterfall which is about 20 minutes drive from the capital and where the farewell function and entertainment were held. The cultural center which is owned and operated by a landowning group has a restaurant located on the one side of the cascading river and the cultural and entertainment activities located on the other side with lightings on both sides and in the river for night activities.

Both the Ekasup Cultural Village and the Evergreen Cascade Waterfall provides a unique cultural experience for visitors and tourists which add value to the growing tourism industry in Port Vila.

With similar cultures and traditions, virgin tropical forests and climate conditions, landowning groups in Solomon Islands particularly communities which are living close to the capital Honiara and other urban centers with easy access to proper roads would be able adopt similar community-based tourism project.  

The Solomon Islands delegation also had the opportunity to visit a number of small to medium beach resorts and weekend facilities for visitors and tourists around the island of Efate which are owned and operated by Ni-Vanuatu. They are simple and built around existing natural environment, provide basic accommodation and activities, and appear to be running on low to medium operating costs.

One of the beach resort & restaurants dotted along the coast of Efate Island and which the delegates visited is the Bamboo Beach Restaurant & Bungalows. It is located by the river edge close to a church-run college about 50 minutes drive from Port Vila. The beach resort provides three tropical bungalows and restaurant at the water edge with excellent view of the ocean. The activities include a swim in the sea or river, and a swim at a nearby natural hot spring.

Another beach side property which the delegates visited is the Havannah Eco Lodge, which is located in the north western part of Efate and is about 30 minutes drive from Port Vila. The eco lodge provides four cottages for accommodation and kitchen facilities including barbecue set for groups, families, divers & weekenders. The major activity in the Havannah Eco Lodge is game fishing for Tuna, Wahoo, Mahi Mahi, Sailfish, and Marlin with daily departures at 4 or 8 hours fishing trips.  

During its informal discussion with the tourism officials in Vanuatu, the Solomon Islands delegation put forward an idea to organize a “Look & Learn” trip for a limited number of landowning groups or individuals from Solomon Islands to travel to Vila to see for themselves how landowning groups in Vanuatu venture into small to medium tourism enterprises bearing in mind that rural Solomon Islanders learn fast by seeing and doing things for themselves. The delegation agreed that for a start landowning groups particularly those living close to the capital Honiara and have access to the main road be given the first priority. The pilot project will then be extended to other landowning groups in the country at a later stage.

According the Solomon Islands delegation, the Ministry of Culture & Tourism and Solomon Islands Visitors Bureau will be looking into the possibility of organizing the first “Look & Learn” trip to Vanuatu early next year and to establish the tourism development exchange programme under the Memorandum of Understanding between Vanuatu and Solomon Islands which was signed by the Minister of Culture & Tourism Hon. Samuel Manetoali during an earlier trip to Vanuatu.