Tongan Tourism operators showcased Tonga to international travel partners during the South Pacific Tourism Exchange (SPTE) held on May 20-21 at Sea World Resort in Gold Coast, Australia.

Representatives from the Tourism Authority and private tourism operators included domestic carrier Real Tongan Airline, Teta Tours, Tonga Beach Resort, Scenic Hotel and Happy Kingdom Holidays.

Fakatele Faletau of Real Tonga said they met with potential operators to introduce and sell their domestic flights.

Tonga Tourism Authority chairman, Tomifa Paea, said he was very happy that the private sector attended the event to promote Tonga at their own expense.

He said they aimed to encourage more private sector operators from Tonga to participate and sell their products with the support of Tonga Tourism Authority, at the 2017 SPTE in Sydney.

Regional tourism

The Tourism Exchange is organised by the South Pacific Tourism Organisation and offers a one-stop shop to international travel partners to meet regional tourism products and suppliers from the islands.

International buyers were able to meet and network with over 70 tourism operators from SPTO’s 16 Pacific Island countries from American Samoa, Cook Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, French Polynesia, Kiribati, Nauru, New Caledonia, Marshall Islands, Niue, PNG, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu.