Aussies can’t get enough of the island paradise Vanuatu, with visitor numbers up 17.5 percent to 30,900 for January to July 2012, compared to the same period last year.

July was particularly favourable with Aussies, bumping numbers up 28.5 percent to 7,200 compared to 5,600 visitors recorded in July last year.

Vanuatu Tourism Office general manager Linda Kalpoi is please Vanuatu’s number one market is increasing in visitor numbers and is optimistic that the target for a 10 percent year-on-year increase is set to be achieved later this year.

Ms Kalpoi said Vanuatu Tourism was already seeing the positive results from a number of campaigns, undertaken by the office to target Australians to promote and drive bookings, through the increased visitor numbers.

“Our overall target for 2012 is a 10 percent increase in Australian visitors and we are very optimistic that this will be reached and even exceeded,” Ms Kalpoi said.

The Vanuatu Tourism Office’s key strategy this year was to educate agents through a successful new format ‘quiz nights’ road show.

Held in May this year, the road show positively reached agents with many winning individual trips to Vanuatu to experience the destination first-hand. 

Complimenting this was the launch of a new online training with “Your Workshops” which has seen almost 500 agents register and complete.

“Our strategy for 2013 will capitalise on the work and partnerships we have created over the last few years and also to build on our niche segments such as weddings, with our new dedicated micro site, and meetings and incentives,” Ms Kalpoi commented.