The Kingdom is expected to see more cruise ships visit in 2013 especially following the opening ofthe new Vuna wharf in December 2012.
Acting CEO of the Ministry of Tourism, Moana Taukolo, said in an earlier statement this year that "we are expecting 17 cruise ships in total with 13 ships calling on Nuku'alofa, 5 to Vava'u, one each to Niuatoputapu, Niuafo'ou and Ha'apai-although the one to Ha'apai will stay for 2 days-Pangai and Tofua". She further stated that "with a dedicated wharf and a Cruise Steering Committee now in place, we anticipate with the increasing number of cruise ships this will help develop Tonga as a cruise destination".
In line with the efforts of the Kingdom to further develop their Cruise tourism, the South Pacific Tourism Organisation (SPTO) in collaboration with Ministry of Commerce, Tourism and Labour, is hosting the Pacific Port Preparedness Workshop in Nuku'alofa on the 13 & 14 August 2013, funded through the European Union's Pacific Regional Tourism Capacity Building Programme (PRTCBP).
The two-day workshop sessions will be held at the Tungi Colonnade and representatives from Tonga's cruise shipping sector (government and private sector) will participate in the programme.
With the overall objective of contributing to the sustainable growth and development of the cruise shipping sector in the Pacific region, these workshops aim to guide local service providers on ways to further enhance on-shore cruise visitor experiences.
With over 170 islands full of wonder and un-spoilt beauty, there are plenty of unforgettable adventures on offer for any visitor in the Kingdom of Tonga, and the experiences of a true South Pacific paradise is what you will discover. Tonga is an ideal Cruise destination for visiting international cruise ships with a selection of 5 appealing ports of calls.
Tonga's growing Cruise tourism segment will receive further boost with the implementation of this Port Preparedness Workshop to assist local stakeholders improve and enhance these key attributes, and their products and services for Cruise passengers.
SPTO Chief Executive Officer, Ilisoni Vuidreketi says that "it is against this background and in an effort to implement the South Pacific Cruise Shipping Strategy and on-shore cruise product development to the region that SPTO will be organising this event in Tonga". He further added that "cruise shipping is a promising segment for tourism in the region and the SPTO is committed to developing and delivering these focused initiatives that are focused on assisting South Pacific cruise destinations to increase their passenger numbers, passenger spend ashore and improve the awareness amongst local cruise stakeholders of this segments potential".
Similar workshops have been carried out in Vanuatu and Samoa, and will also be carried out in the Cook Islands and Fiji. Sydney based company Nautic Consulting will be delivering these workshops. |
