A small delegation headed by Southpacific-travel.com CEO, Tony Everitt, recently returned from Japan in what was both a learning and promotional exercise which should prove beneficial to the tourism industry not only within the Kingdom, but the region as a whole.

Semisi Lemoto, of Teta Tours Tonga, was part of this group, which also included Jacob Teem from Dojin Tours of the Christmas Islands.

It was an intensive schedule of appointments and meetings with industry leaders in Japans lucrative marine tourism market and also included travel wholesalers, airline and cruise line companies which saw the five days covering the major cities of Tokyo and Osaka.

According to Tony, this market, and perhaps the Asian market as a whole, will offer huge potential to our small island nations within the pacific region, this inaugural venture has set the stage for future development and nurturing of our tourism industry within Asia, with a similar venture planned for Korea and China later on in the year.

Semisi further supported this view saying Teta Tours Tonga had already received bookings and queries before he even landed back home. This not only provides business for our company but will also benefit local service providers within the industry both in the Kingdom of Tonga. "It is promising that the government and the private sector are coming together to rebuild tourism in the Kingdom as there were meetings and appointments secured by 'Elenoa Fonua from Ministry of Tourism. At the same time, regional co-operation is also fundamental, as without the assistance of Southpacific-travel.com, and Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat Marketing Support Fund this trip would have not have had the same impact, and likewise the support given by airlines , in particular , Mr Michael Nacola, Head of Sales, from Air Pacific" Semisi said. Semisi continued by saying, "I am positive that the outcome of this visit should see a return of visitors from our Asian neighbours, as there was a sense of hesitancy about travelling to our shores due to recent events of 16/11, and also the reliability of our domestic airlines. Hopefully this trip helped to reassure them that the beauty of our Kingdom is still here and the silver lining of the unfortunate events that occurred has resulted in a renewed vision to rebuild within the tourism industry and the country as a whole."

Teta Tours Tonga is a family business which has been in the tourism industry for over 30 years, and according to Semisi, "I had the opportunity to meet up with business owners in Tokyo, who still remember a similar promotional trip made by my late Uncle, Sione Mate Lemoto, way back in the ...‘80s - a pioneer of tourism within the Kingdom and founding member of the company." Teta Tour, 03/05/07.