A Pacific tourism report on the CoViD-19 impact and recovery in the region projected an NZD$3.1 billion loss if there were no tourists visiting seven Pacific Island countries, including Tonga, over a 12-month period.

The Pacific Tourism: CoViD-19 Impact and Recovery Report [2], launched by the Pacific Tourism Organisation (SPTO) on 7 May, outlines initial impacts and emerging responses across the Pacific to help inform decision-making by Pacific tourism sector organisations and businesses. 

It also highlights the importance of future Pacific coordination in tourism and the value of SPTO’s role in this area. 

“The objective of this analysis is to inform thinking and to highlight future themes around Pacific regional cooperation for tourism’s recovery from COVID-19,” said SPTO interim Chair, Mr Halatoa Fua. 

Impact

The impact on all Pacific nations is significant, with the tourism sector and all associated businesses and sectors effectively shut down commercially and in maintenance mode at best.

The report assessed the impact in seven target countries including, Tonga, Fiji, Cook Islands, Niue, Samoa, Solomon Islands, and Vanuatu.

It revealed a direct financial impact in excess of NZ$3.1 billion if no tourists visited these countries over a 12-month period.

Tonga’s estimated international visitors amount to almost 60,000 annually, with visitor spending around NZ$156 million, providing around 7,100 jobs in related industries.

For Tonga, 49% of its visitors were from New Zealand spending over NZ$76 million.

According to the report, New Zealand visitors spending contribution in the Pacific pre CoViD-19 was almost NZ$1 billion and recovery of these routes will be important for Pacific tourism sector recovery.

While Tonga has no CoViD-19 cases, it has closed its borders to international visitors, but allows freight flights. The key risks to Tonga, according to the report, is the domestic economy, and losing air connectivity, sector capability and over a longer period infrastructure with extended sector closure.

Pacific bubble

The report said New Zealanders were willing to travel if there were limited CoViD-19 cases and no travel restrictions.

This is according to a survey completed in April where New Zealanders were asked how likely they would travel if CoViD-19 was under control in New Zealand, Australia and the Pacific Islands in the next 12 months.

The results showed Pacific travel intentions to be higher than the actual 2019 travel data to each Pacific Island destination. 

This suggests a stronger propensity to travel to the Pacific (given the current sentiment, perceptions and expectations).