Air Niugini cancels aircraft order

Air Niugini has cancelled its acquisition of the Q-400 aircraft because they are not up to standard, says acting chief executive officer Gary Seddon. He said in a statement that the airline company had been expecting to

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Alii Palau Airlines signs contract with Bhutan carrier Drukair

Drukair, a Bhutanese carrier, has signed a contract agreement with Alii Palau Airlines to commence a Singapore to Palau flight. Alii Palau Airlines is a new company which set to provide direct flights from Singapore to

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Samoa and Fiji Airways talk codeshare

Negotiations have commenced between the government-owned airline, Samoa Airways and Fiji Airways on the possibility of having a codeshare agreement.  This was revealed by the Minister of Public Enterprises and Samoa

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Hundreds of tourists stranded as Air Vanuatu cancels flights

Hundreds of tourists have been stranded after Air Vanuatu cancelled a week’s worth of flights right as school holidays kicked off in New Zealand and Australia. The airline’s only Boeing 737 aircraft – which

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Solomon Airlines inks partnership agreement with Air Vanuatu

The flag carrier of the Solomon Islands, Solomon Airlines has confirmed that it has inked its partnership with Air Vanuatu from Monday 30 October 2023 to further expand their mutual support. This shows why cooperation

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Palau and PNG sign Air Service Agreement

Palau and Papua New Guinea governments signed a bilateral Air Service Agreement on Wednesday, 23 August, 2023. PNG Minister for Transport and Civil Aviation, Walter Schnaubelt, and Charles Obichang, Minister of Public

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Hainan Airlines to start flying next month to Samoa

A Chinese Airline based in Haikou, Hainan Airlines is expected to recommence its services next month as Samoa’s Civil Aviation Division is finalising the application from the airline to continue direct flights to

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Inflation, interest rates cloud post-pandemic Pacific growth: World Bank

The resumption of tourism, higher public investment and construction have fuelled the Pacific region’s economic recovery from COVID-19 but a combination of persistently high imported inflation and interest rate hikes

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How an ex-commando trainer from Singapore is changing tourism in the Pacific

While the superpowers and regional actors jostle for influence in the Pacific Ocean, Singapore and an ex-commando trainer may play a key role in changing the tourism landscape there. In September, the new Alii Palau

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Obituary: David Harrison Gilmour 1931-2023

A business pioneer who transformed tourism and started an iconic Fijian business died in New York last month. Now he is being remembered by a new generation of businesspeople. Canadian entrepreneur David Harrison

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Nauru Airlines eyes growth in the Pacific as carrier launches new freighter plane

Brisbane-based Nauru Airlines has marked the beginning of a new chapter as a growing freight carrier with the addition of Australia’s first Boeing 737-800F to its fleet. Although the airline is headquartered on

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Survey reveals F$2.09 billion in Fiji tourism earnings in 2022

Fiji’s tourism industry earned a total of $FJ2.09 billion (US$1.045 billion) between April and December last year, according to new survey results released this week. The Fiji 2022 Annual International Visitor Survey

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Air Niugini’s boeing 767 fleet back in service, domestic flights cancelled

Air Niugini’s wide body Boeing 767 fleet are back in service, says acting chief executive officer Gary Seddon.  “I would like to thank our valued customers for their patience and understanding as we worked

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New Solomon Airline airbus arriving on Thursday

Solomon Islands second airbus will touch down at Honiara International Airport on Thursday this week. The country’s national flag carrier, Solomon Airlines, is acquiring the second airbus through an eight-year lease.

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Jetstar adds Melbourne-Fiji route

Jetstar will start direct flights between Melbourne and Fiji (Nadi) on 16 December, before the busy Christmas holiday. Using an Airbus A321neo LR the airline will operate three weekly flights with capacity to uplift

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Fiji Budget Debate: Bainivalu says tourism will be supported

“While the coalition government is making efforts to diversify the economy, we will still take care of tourism,” was the word from Assistant Minister for Tourism and Civil Aviation, Alitia Bainivalu in

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Asia, Pacific flights touted in Newcastle Airport expansion

Jetting direct to Asia, the Middle East, and the Pacific from Newcastle is on the horizon, but will depend on commitments from big carriers as its new international terminal rises at its Williamtown base at the end of

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Tourism recovery is going to be harder for Palau

Tourism recovery after the COVID-19 pandemic for Palau will be harder than before due to significant policy changes in some of Palau’s key tourism markets and a more competitive global tourism market. Director Kristy

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Jetstar launches new route to Cook Islands

Australian travellers can now pay a stopover-free visit to the Cook Island’s famous turquoise shores with the launch of new direct flights. The new Jetstar service takes off as Pacific Island travel demand spikes in

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Illegal narcotics and meth use among youths a concern in Fiji

When Fiji’s Minister for Home Affairs Pio Tikoduadua pointed out last year that the use and distribution of hard drugs had spiraled out of control and was a far bigger disaster than climate change, he was not

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Samoa Government takes over $30 million Aggie Greys hotel shares

The Samoa Government now holds 30 percent preference shares in the Aggie Greys Hotel Limited which owns the Sheraton Samoa and Aggies Greys Hotel & Bungalows in Apia. This was confirmed by the Minister for the

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Palau sees tourism revival with South Korea as economic security issue

Security means many things, climate security, human security, energy security, economic security, and maritime security, to name a few.  Korea-Pacific Summit, held this week, called for regional security and a peaceful

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Olam is Tourism PNG Ambassador

Papua New Guinea rugby league icon and Australian NRL Melbourne Storms star centre Justin Olam is officially the PNG Tourism Promotion Authority’ s tourism brand Ambassador. The formal announcement was made in the

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Pacific leaders’ role critical for a more resilient tourism sector

Pacific tourism leaders have a critical role to play for a more resilient future Pacific tourism sector. Tourism in the Pacific is about relationship building, economic development, growth, and connectivity.  These

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