Vanuatu’s traveller numbers up 52% from Aust


As well as connecting family and friends across the country, Virgin Blue has always prided itself on opening new markets and stimulating competition and tourism.

The airline group is proud to have introduced the same low fare philosophy and service-style of Virgin Blue to Australia’s more isolated islands neighbours with the launch of Pacific Blue (Australia), Pacific Blue (NZ) and Polynesian Blue, the joint venture airline with the Government of Samoa.

As well as New Zealand, these airlines provide vital air services to the nations of Fiji, Vanuatu, Samoa, Tonga and the Cook Islands, with more than 136 flights in total each week, 58 of these services operating to and from the Pacific Islands.

By bringing viable and sustainable low fares and competition to the Pacific Islands, Virgin Blue has not only provided an affordable option for locals and expats from these countries to return home more often to visit family and friends, but also increased tourism into these regions which help boost developing economies.

And it’s not just travellers from the gateway cities that are heading to the Pacific Islands, Virgin Blue’s extensive domestic network and convenient and affordable connecting fares attract visitors from across Australia and New Zealand, including Perth, Darwin, Canberra, Townsville, Christchurch and Wellington.

From October 2005 to February 2008, just over two years since Polynesian Blue was launched, holiday arrivals in Samoa increased by 46 percent from Australia and New Zealand, while the number of holiday arrivals to Tonga increased by a whopping 54 percent from New Zealand and Australia during the same period. 

Since Pacific Blue commenced flights to and from Vanuatu in 2004, the market has also grown significantly, with traveller numbers increasing by 52 percent from Australia.

Increased tourist traffic: To meet the demand, the airline also increased services from four at launch to six flights a week, bringing a total of 51,160 seats to the market.

With two direct flights a week from New Zealand to the Cook Islands, the launch of Pacific Blue services between Auckland and Rarotonga has increased tourist traffic by nearly 28 percent since October 2005, just over two years since its launch.

Pacific Blue has also grown its Fiji services from 12 to 24 flights per week and this is having a major impact on the local economy.

With over 161,000 visitors flying Pacific Blue to Nadi since it started the service, the economic impact is assessed to be in excess of F$250 million.

The increased visitor numbers to these islands nations translate not only to a significant and tangible return to the community through increased tourism and economic benefits, it has also prompted renewed interest from developers keen to invest in infrastructure to support the growing tourist numbers in these regions.

In just eight months since Polynesian Blue was launched in October 2005, visitor arrivals to Samoa increased by more than 18 percent compared to an average annual growth over the prior 10 years of just 3.9 percent.

Operating under the same philosophy and low cost base as its sister airlines, Virgin Blue and Pacific Blue, the start-up outlay for Polynesian Blue was kept to a minimum and within 10 months of its launch the airline announced a modest profit.

Previously the Government of Samoa had contributed over WST 200 million into the nation’s flagship airline over the past decade, money which is now being progressively re-directed to health, education and other essential community services throughout Samoa.

Last financial year Polynesian Blue made a record profit of WST 10.5 million whilst making air travel affordable for ordinary Samoans.

The early profitability and immediate success of Polynesian Blue and the unique pioneering partnership between Virgin Blue and the Government of Samoa won the airline the prestigious New Airline of the Year award at the annual CAPA (Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation) annual awards in 2006.

The CAPA Awards for Excellence recognise the high performers in the Asia Pacific Aviation industry and the New Airline of the Year award specifically acknowledges the start-up airline that has made the most significant impact in the markets it operates and the development of aviation in the region.

It is a huge honour for Polynesian Blue to be recognised in this way and Pacific Blue and Polynesian Blue have both found growing recognition among the travelling public and have been particularly welcomed on routes that were previously only served by one carrier. 

Despite the challenges in the aviation industry as a whole, looking forward to the future is bright for the airlines of the Virgin Blue Group, all of which remain committed to providing affordable and long-term sustainable low fares and competition to the Pacific islands.