TOURISM UPDATE

Today’s update focusses solely on health which is pillar 1 in the Tourism Crises Response & Recovery Plan (TCRRP). This is the safeguarding of the health of our citizens, workers, residents, and visitors. This is to enable Vanuatu to safely accept the movement of people from countries that have zero or minimal cases of COVID-19, and to have confidence in our domestic public health systems and facilities.

The Ministry of Health (MOH) continues to lead Repatriation Operations for the Vanuatu government. The MOH has been conducting its operations and quarantine processes under the guidance of the World Health Organization (WHO). MOH has been coordinating its operations from its Emergency Operations Center (EOC) in Port Vila. 

The only international port of entry by air is the Bauerfield International Airport on the island of Efate. Being the single port of entry for the country, the Ministry of Health is working very closely with the SHEFA provincial authorities to coordinate repatriation flights using an all-sector approach. MOH is also working very closely with Border Control agencies, Vanuatu Police Force, National Disaster Management Office (NDMO) and hotel operators to ensure that quarantine facilities and their staff, and the quarantine process is maintained to minimize risks.

Last week the regulation order for repatriation was amended to cater for repatriation by sea too, so now repatriation can be done by both air and sea, with Port Vila being the only designated port of entry by sea.

The Department of Tourism is engaged with the MOH and SHEFA Provincial Health authorities and its partners, to ensure a smooth and safe transition into borders opening. Business readiness will be ensured through a collaborative approach that will include staff training, facility risk assessments and on-going infection control and prevention assistance for each establishment. Operators in the tourism industry will be guided by the MOH and WHO throughout the preparedness and prevention phase of this COVID-19 pandemic. 

The MOH and SHEFA Provincial Health authorities will lead Vanuatu's response if we enter a scenario where a positive COVID case is declared. Along with the TCRRP, implementation response plans are also being developed with Area Councils, line agencies, Ministries, the Health Technical Advisory Group (HTAG) and the national COVID Advisory Committee to formalize, implement, train and test health protocols for each of the COVID scenario’s. 

Please send any questions on tourism recovery by email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and we will do our best to answer your questions in next week’s update.

Penama Tourism Consultation & Awareness

The Department of Tourism’s community awareness team are in Penama Province this week carrying out awareness on the Tourism Crises Response and Recovery Plan (TCRRP), as well as consulting with key stakeholders who will provide input into the development of the Penama Sustainable Tourism Management Plan.

The team flew down to Ambae over the weekend along with the Minister of Tourism Trade, Industry, Commerce and Ni-Vanuatu Business (MTTICNVB), Hon. James Bule and his delegation who will be spending the week in Ambae to officiate the opening of government office spaces at the Penama Provincial Headquarters in commemoration of Penama Province’s 25^th Jubilee.

The team started off their awareness on Monday 14^th September, in East Ambae bringing stakeholders from the northern, southern, and eastern parts of Ambae together. The stakeholders who were part of the workshop on Monday included representatives from line agencies as well as the community. These exercises are important as they highlight the priority development needs in tourism contextual to the province, and provide clear actions, timeframes, and budgets to be put together. Contributions from key players in Penama also highlight and assist in providing the ‘way forward’ in strengthening the Provincial Tourism Associations. This gives them the chance to clearly identify what the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats are in their area. The day’s consultation continued to highlight the important target areas to be adhered to in the Provincial Plan which includes governance, infrastructure & transport, product development, marketing, human resource development and investment. This in turn gives the Department of Tourism good grounds to seek financial support.

The team will be continuing on to Maewo, West Ambae and then on to Pentecost to complete their consultation in Penama province. This is paramount to prepare for the one-week National Tourism Forum that the Department of Tourism has scheduled to take place during the third week of October 2020. The Provincial Plan will be presented for further scrutiny and final contributions from stakeholders and other important partners. Further details on the forum will be released in the coming weeks.

Apart from the Penama Day celebrations, the Minister of Tourism will be joined by the Prime Minister, Hon. Bob Loughman and other dignitaries to officially open the new Department of Industry provincial office, witness the ground breaking of the new MTTICNVB Penama provincial office space, hand over government vehicles and the butchery solar freezer storage facility, and officially open the Wai Cooperative Society. The PM and delegates will also be visiting West Ambae where they will be handing over the DME VCO Processing Oil Facility and will be making an official visit to Maewo later this week.

Safe Business Operations Industry Training

As part of the Vanuatu Tourism Crisis Response and Recovery Plan (VTCRRP) relating to Pillar 3 and business readiness, the Department of Tourism (DoT), in partnership with the Department of Public Health, the Australia Pacific Training Coalition, the Vanuatu Chamber of Commerce and Industry, World Vision Vanuatu and  Vanuatu Skills Partnership is rolling out mandatory industry training to ensure workplace compliance with the established Safe Business Operations (SBO) Guidelines for the tourism and services sector.

This SBO Policy Guideline titled ‘Vanuatu Guidelines for Safe Business Operations in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic’ will communicate to businesses the measures required to be ‘Clean, Caring and Checked’ to carry out risk assessment, and compliance with health measures.

Training is provided at three levels and targets:

1. General workers/employees - This training provides the essential things to know and do to ensure personal preparedness and workplace safety in relation to COVID-19. Training targets five tourism business categories: Accommodation, Dining/Restaurants, Events/Attractions, Activity/Entertainment, Retail and Transport.
2. Supervisors – all businesses - This training equips workplace supervisors with the tools and checklists to support the development of workplace safety plans, workplace health and safety guidelines and workforce management strategies for handling different alert levels during a pandemic.
3. Supervisors – essential services/businesses - This training provides workplace supervisors with industry standard guidance on complying with Vanuatu Health-Technical Advisory Group/COVID Taskforce (H-TAG) requirements of essential services/businesses during the highest alert for a pandemic.

These six partners have formed a training coalition in support of safe business training to both tourism business sector as well as micro-businesses including the informal sector. The training coalition is leveraging the equivalent of VT115 million (one hundred and fifteen million vatu) in support of industry-led training to COVID safe standards. This is a good example of the Vanuatu Government’s leadership for a coalition-based support for industry-led skills development, during a pandemic, and in support of our journey towards economic recovery. The coalition’s resources are also made possible through the invaluable support from Vanuatu, Australia, New Zealand, and the United States Governments.

This is a very important partnership to get businesses prepared. They will also work together to ensure that DoT is supported so that there is credibility with the training and the rolling out of independent auditing for the purpose of certifying businesses. The SBO training will be officially launched as part of the National Niufala Rod Blo Tourism Week taking place from the 26^th to 29^th October with training sessions commencing during that week with the selected training providers.

The Vanuatu Government COVID-19 Tourism Industry Workplace Health and Safety Plans and Guidelines that are put in place will have implications for some businesses operations, particularly those that are directly serving tourists and international visitors. These guidelines are based upon the best and most up-to-date scientific knowledge and are subject to change. Updates will be communicated by the Ministry of Health and will be available on the COVID-19 website. 

Please send any questions to the Department of Tourism by email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Partners in the signing of the Memorandum of Agreement

TOURISM UPDATES

 In these ever changing and complex times, we understand that being informed and up to date is not easy. In an attempt to ensure we share as much information as possible, we will be providing more regular updates such as this one. While the current COVID-19 situation is still one of rapid changes we are attempting to publish weekly updates to keep our communities, businesses and stakeholders informed.

The Ministry of Health should be commended for their actions and measures to-date including the setting up of the Health Technical Advisory Group. The national COVID-19 response in Vanuatu is based on three defined transmission scenarios. Vanuatu is currently in scenario 1, where there are no confirmed COVID cases. Therefore, all current efforts are centered around prevention and preparedness. If we enter scenario 2 and or 3, Vanuatu will have to shift into a response mode and continues to strengthen preparations for this. Enhanced clinical health services at Vila Central Hospital, reinforced by active contact tracing, strengthened community engagement and risk communication, will ensure that the national COVID response for scenario 2 and 3 is efficient, effective, and swift.

The main Government priority now for tourism is to train businesses on how to apply the new health and safety procedures starting from September 2020, using the ‘Vanuatu Guidelines for Safe Businesses Operations (SBO) in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. These SBO guidelines were developed in close collaboration between the Ministry of Tourism and the Ministry of Health. This policy guideline includes measures and actions based on the scenarios in the Ministry of Health ‘COVID-19 Preparedness and Response Plan’ to carry out safe business operations during a pandemic. This guideline will provide awareness and guidance and will communicate to every business the measures required to be identified as ‘Clean, Caring and Checked’. One or more safety officers from each business will be identified for training, to carry out risk assessment and compliance with health measures across all scenarios to allow a business to safely operate in a time of COVID.

Businesses will need to prepare, understand, respond and take responsibility under each transmission scenario and carry out the recommended Public Health actions. The criteria are drafted in the context of mitigating known risks as Vanuatu prepares for the easing of restrictions on international borders and for businesses to be ready with appropriate measures to action for their staff and customers safety.  This will provide confidence for workers, customers, and the government that appropriate safe measures are being taken in the workplace and that there is integrity in these measures.

The Department of Tourism is currently identifying training providers to deliver the SBO training. Independent Auditors will also be sourced to undertake a program of spot checks and auditing to ensure that businesses remain compliant with the SBO Guidelines. Credibility and compliance of business operations in adhering to recognised COVID-19 measures and standards is crucial.  These measures are benchmarked to national, regional and international standards.

This training needs to be completed for businesses to receive the ‘Clean, Caring and Checked - CCC’ certification to show that they have achieved this level of safe operations. The guidelines and self-verification checklist, of which one of the questions will ask if you have attended the training, will be on the Department of Tourism’s website, and be linked with the covid19.gov.vu website. The Government will ensure there is compliance with the new health and safety procedures and provide support to tourism businesses to assist to ensure that they are business ready.

The economic and social health of our nation relies on many factors such as business, trade, education, health, and tourism. Providing a balance between both economic viability and appropriate health measures sustains the safety and livelihood of our people.

Teams are working tirelessly to implement the immediate response and recovery plan and to communicate to everyone what is being done. This will include community awareness programs and more details on many important changes that will affect everyone. There is a team from the Department of Tourism travelling to Tafea next week. They will be having meetings and workshops with the area secretaries, community leaders and operators to assist with disseminating messages and updates.

The good co-operations of citizens is core to a safe approach to this COVID-19 situation. We appreciate your interest and encourage you to keep informed using the national Health Covid website for trusted advice.