Vanuatu Tourism: Marketing Plan and Destination Analysis Report

This report presents a destination marketing plan for Vanuatu's tourism sector, outlining strategies to boost visitor numbers and economic growth. The plan focuses on key markets like New Caledonia, New Zealand, and Australia, aiming to achieve specific visitor targets by 2023 and 2030. It emphasizes maximizing local employment, diversifying market development, and building sustainable business opportunities. The report analyzes the current state of tourism in Vanuatu, including the impact of cruise ship and air travel visitors, and highlights the significance of cultural tourism, specifically the 'Kastom Tanis' tradition. The plan also addresses the challenges of balancing cultural preservation with tourism development. It examines the cultural aspects that attract tourists, such as traditional music, dance, and village experiences, emphasizing the importance of community engagement and the unique experiences offered to visitors. The report includes statistical data on visitor arrivals and the economic impact of tourism, referencing the World Travel and Tourism Council report, as well as the financial investments needed. The plan also details the brand strategy and destination positioning of Vanuatu, highlighting its culture, unique experiences, and the welcoming nature of its people.

Marketing 1
Tourism in Vanuatu
Student
Institution
Date

Marketing 2
Introduction
This destination market plan is a roadmap that will guide our tourism sector in Vanuatu and our
market efforts to grow the visitor economy in the country. The goals and vision in this
destination marketing plan will require commitment and focus from all the stakeholders (Rex,
2019). However, there are substantial economic outcomes that can be derived when this
destination market plan is achieved. This destination market plan will work in relation to our
vision statement which states that "We believe that tourism can lead the future prosperity of
Vanuatu through the capturing of new money into the economy.” The tourism stakeholders in
Vanuatu is working in partnership with Vanuatu Tourism office, Vanuatu government, and Air
Vanuatu to deliver this vision to stimulate the growth and development of the economy through
marketing and increased visitation in Vanuatu. Besides, this destination market plan will work
towards achieving the goals set by the Vanuatu tourism office. The office aims to achieve
166,000-holiday visitors by 2023 and 300,000 guests by 2030. Some of the factors that will aid
us to achieve these goals include:
 By focusing on the key markets New Caledonia, New Zealand, and Australia in order to
maintain visitation as well as create a strong base for economic return.
 Maximize local employment opportunities in this sector.
 Flatten out seasonality and maximize the diversity of market development.

Marketing 3
 Build sustainable opportunities in business for everyone.
It is important to note that air Vanuatu has recently released a strategic action plan which
outlines a supporting approach that will show the way forward for aviation in Vanuatu. This
strategic plan will increase the frequency and capacity out of the short-haul competitive market
as well as seek to enhance connections from other ports.
Working in partnership with Vanuatu Tourism Office and the Department of Tourism, the
Vanuatu Skills Partnership will support the tourism sector in Vanuatu and will continue to
provide support through various skills development activities, by focusing on sustainable
commercial practices, development of quality products, as well as market access (Vanuatu
Tourism, 2020). By focusing on strategic and national level engagement we will require
partnership and collaboration from Vanuatu’s tourism supports key partners, involving the
community, government and private sector entities in order to ensure that skills development
activities encourage positive economic and social outcomes from the communities and rural
tourism business.
Through the joint efforts with destination marketing, skills development, and market access, in
Vanuatu we are hoping to receive more tourists who use airlines as means of transport to the
outer part of the island in the coming years. Over the past years, the total international guest by
air has contributed 25% of the total number of international visitors who arrive in Vanuatu.
There is an increase of 25% over the corresponding month of all visitors by air but has dropped
by 4% over the preceding months. This drop is a result of the impacts of the cyclone pam,
challenges from Bauerfield airport and lack of consistent marketplace over the preceding years.
On the other hand cruise ship visitors, represent 75% of all the international visitors who have
arrived in Vanuatu. There has been an increase of by 149% of the day visitors in Vanuatu as

Marketing 4
compared to January 2019 as well as an increase of 51% over the preceding month. This
increase is a result of an increase in the number of cruise ship visits that is from 7 in January
2019 to 16 in January 2020 (Vanuatu National Statics Office, 2015). This is clearly shown in the
figure below:
Figure 1: January 2019-January 2020: international tourist arrival
Source: Vanuatu national statistics office
82% of the total number of international visitors in Vanuatu is represented by holiday guests.
Sports and education represent 7%, visiting relatives and friends represent 6%, stopover visitors
represent 2%, while conferences and meetings represent 3% (Vanuatu National Statics Office,
2015). This is illustrated in the figure below:
Figure: 2 visitor’s percentage share by the purpose of the visit.

Marketing 5
Source: Vanuatu national statistics office
The World Travel and Tourism Council Report has indicated that tourism in Vanuatu has
significantly impacted the economy of the country by contributing approximately 18% percent of
GDP (Lock, 2020). This is clearly shown in the figure below:
Figure: 3 Highest GDP share generated by various countries in relation to tourism and
travel across the world in 2019

Marketing 6
Source: Statista (Lock, 2020)
it is appreciated that this destination marketing plan presents a substantial increase in financial
plan from existing levels. However, it is good to understand that as a core contributor to the
economy of Vanuatu, the tourism sector has been under-resourced for almost a decade. Funding
levels for marketing efforts in Vanuatu are too low as compared to those of our competitors. As a
result, this destination marketing plan will ensure that suitable collateral and digital materials
such as Vanuatu's tourism websites are used to enhance marketing efforts through the use of
testimonials in a language that is clear and well understood by everyone. Visitors are encouraged
to give their view and experiences on our website. Besides, this destination marketing plan will
feature relevant testimonials on all social media channels for tourism in Vanuatu.
The land dividing ritual of the south Pentecost in Vanuatu is a good example of how tourism
intensifies community tension when we commercialize traditional culture. Custom, a
predominant framework from which traditional culture is well-defined is projected on the agenda

Marketing 7
of strengthening tradition. However, tourism has imposed transformation as well as responding
to modern livelihood priorities of traditional society (Cassidy & Brown, 2010). As a result of the
increasing precariousness of traditional livelihoods as well as questions concerning its relevance
in the present-day has made inimitable aspects of the traditional culture progressively
marketable.
Niche Overview (Cultural Tourism in Vanuatu)
Cultural tourism in Vanuatu can be seen as the movement of persons from their normal
residential places as a result of cultural attraction to gather new experiences and information in
order to satisfy their cultural needs. It is evident that the cultural tourist in Vanuatu substantially
spends more as compared to standard tourist. Besides, living in cultural areas is a good example
of a cultural tourism destination. Similarly, people live their home countries with the intention
of coming to other destinations in Vanuatu such as historical sites, theme parks, cultural
festivals, natural ecosystems as well as modern urban districts. However, as the issue of
globalization becomes rampant globally, the challenge of safeguarding the remaining cultural
communities in Vanuatu is becoming uncontrollable. Reaching economic development in a tribe
based community with minimal negative effects is a vital objective to Vanuatu's destination
planner. Since they depend on the culture of the region as the core tourist attraction, sustainable
destination advancement of the region is important for the people of Vanuatu for them to prevent
negative effects due to tourism.
Below are some of the details that bring out brand strategy and destination positioning of tourism
in Vanuatu.
Culture and kastom

Marketing 8
The culture of Vanuatu maintains a robust diversity through foreign influence as well as local
area variation. Vanuatu is divided into three main cultural regions. In the northern parts, wealth
is determined by how much one can contribute by using a scheme of grade taking. Particularly
people with rounded tusk are considered to be wealthy in Vanuatu. In the center, the Melanesian
traditional culture system is the one that dominates. In the southern part, there is a development
of a system that involves grants of titles that come with privileges.
The traditional music commonly known as Kastom Tanis is another instance of cultural practices
that attracts tourist in Vanuatu. When performing Kastom Tanis, there is the use of musical
instrument s such as the drum of different sizes and shapes, idiophones, slit gongs and rattles.
Traditional music in Vanuatu is can be seen as a general term that comprises a complex and wide
range of musical genres that are known by every local community. When watching dancers
performing their unique custom dance one can feel the adrenaline rush because of how they do it.
Such dancing styles include Torres and Banks Island snake dance. Besides, lurking warriors
with arrows and bows are always at the village entrance to welcome their visitors who are
escorted by a tour guide.
Offers a real, life-changing escapade
For one to have a complete Vanuatu experience, he or she must try a community or cultural tour.
Tours will range from showcasing pure traditional village experience in an ancient way of living
that is still practiced in the present days (Vanuatu Tourism, 2020). Visitors will have a change in
their lifetime after hearing extraordinary stories such as how human being can invent
thunderstorm, how the existence of Mt Yasur took palace, as well as how local root crop
commonly known as Kava is regarded in the southern part of Vanuatu.

Marketing 9
Vanuatu is its people
When a visitor arrives, he or she will be welcomed by the slit song or rhythmic drumming of the
tam-tam. When dressed in a traditional costume, the woman of the tribe will then welcome the
visitor with a welcoming necklace commonly known as salu salu. She will then take the visitor
into their bush kitchen where lunch preparation is being done. While lunch food is being
prepared commonly known as Kae Kae, the visitor will visit the traditional meeting room also
known as the village nakamal where the tour guide will explain the social importance of nakamal
as well as the traditional ceremonies that take place in that communal village (Vanuatu Tourism,
2020 ).

Marketing 10
Reference
Cassidy, F. & Brown, L., 2010. Determinants of Small Pacific Island Tourism: A Vanuatu Study. Asia Pacific
Journal of Tourism Research, 15(2), pp. 143-153.
Lock, S., 2020. Statista. [Online]
Available at: https://www.statista.com/statistics/1100368/countries-highest-gdp-travel-tourism/
[Accessed 11 April 2020].
Rex, R., 2019. Vanuatu Tourism. [Online]
Available at: https://corporate.southpacificislands.travel/vanuatu-tourism-office-announces-blueprint-
growth-vanuatus-tourism-economy/
[Accessed 11 April 2020].
Vanuatu National Statics Office , 2015. International Visitors Arrival - January 2020. [Online]
Available at: https://vnso.gov.vu/index.php/new-releases/monthly-news/tourism-news
[Accessed 11 April 2020].
Vanuatu Tourism, 2020. THE CALL OF VANUATU. [Online]
Available at: https://www.vanuatu.travel/au/
[Accessed 11 April 2020].
Vanuatu Tourism, 2020. Naversa Cultural Tour at Wala. [Online]
Available at: https://www.vanuatu.travel/fr/naversa-cultural-tour-at-wala
[Accessed 11 April 2020 ].