Results for Travel

Tonga’s traditional dancing and costumes were on show at the Miss Heilala Tau’olunga competition on Tuesday night, July 3 at the Queen Salote Memorial Hall in Nuku'alofa.

Tonga's sole domestic carrier, Real Tonga Airline held its inaugural flight to Apia, Samoa, today June 29. The flight takes one hour to Vava’u and another hour and 15 minutes to Apia.

Tonga as a tourist destination is attracting only a small share of travellers compared to leading Pacific destinations, which saw large increases in visitors in 2017, according to the South Pacific Tourism Organisation (SPTO) report released last week.

The South Pacific remains the most popular cruise destination for Australian and New Zealand cruisers, with industry statistics showing more than half a million holidaymakers from the two nations enjoying cruises to the region annually. The South Pacific Tourism Organisation has this week agreed to support dialogue to strengthen the growth of cruise tourism in the Pacific.

“The sooner that we reopen for business, the better,” is Pangia Earl Emberson's reaction to the devastation of the Pangaimotu Island Resort by Tropical Cyclone Gita during the night of 12 February.

Fua'amotu International Airport has opened for operation from 1:00pm today, confirmed Viliami Ma’ake, CEO at Tonga Airports Ltd. The domestic airport remains out of order due to damage caused by Cyclone Gita on Monday night and domestic flights will now operate out of the International Airport until the domestic airport is restored.

Tonga's sole domestic carrier, Real Tonga Airline is expected to start a new international service to Samoa, in early November this year.

A Kodiak 100 seaplane owned by Setouchi Holdings Inc., demonstrated flights capable of both land and sea landings in Vava’u and the two Niuas last week, on the invitation of the Governor of Vava'u, Lord Fulivai.

Creative and dramatic island creations and colourful sarongs were showcased last night 6 July, during the final judging events of the 2017 Miss Heilala Pageant, at the Queen Salote Memorial Hall. Photos by Linny Folau