SPTO: The South Pacific as a travel destination will be under the spotlight again, this time in the United Kingdom with five Pacific national tourism representatives travelling to four densely populated British cities.
The South Pacific Tourism Organisation, funded by the European Union’sPacific Regional Tourism Capacity Building Project, will be taking representatives from Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Tahiti and Vanuatu to the South Pacific Travel Specialist Programme beginning this week (October 20-23).
Fiji Airways and Air Tahiti Nui will be present with tourism officials from national tourism offices in Fiji, PNG, Samoa and Vanuatu.
Once certified as South Pacific Specialists, they will have access to the following:
• Up to date training on 16 desirable destinations of the South Pacific;
• Priority invitations to any SPTO educational programs;
• Inclusion in SPTO agents incentive programs;
• Exclusive access to the online SPTO ‘South Pacific Specialist Tool Kit’;
• Special invitations to any SPTO training workshops in their areas;
• All certified South Pacific Specialists go in to the draw to win a FREE South Pacific holiday
• Weekly South Pacific tourism updates via Pacific Pulse e-newsletterIncreased business opportunity and marketability
To date about 320 agents have become accredited South Pacific Specialists. (www.southpacificspecialist.org).
The Specialist programme is conducted by the SPTO under their European Union funded Pacific Regional Tourism Capacity Building Project.
Last month Melbourne based Qantas Holidays travel agent Jessica Cox won an eight night South Pacific holiday in a competition for all accredited South Pacific Travel Specialists.
Cox said ever since she was accredited she has that extra advantage in understanding more about the region, though it was already an easy place to market.
“I would recommend the program to anyone wanting to really get to know the Pacific, it gives that extra information that helps you give your clients the best holiday possible in an amazing part of our world,” she said.
– SPTO
