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42 REGION OCEANIA © Tahiti Tourisme Samoa’s To Sua Ocean Trench on more and more “bucket lists” Bora Bora The Islands of Tahiti celebrate 250 th anniversary of Cook’s arrival The late 1760’s was a busy time for explorers in French Polynesia. Captain Bougainville declared his crew were the first European explorers to set foot upon The Islands of Tahiti. However, upon returning to France, Bougainville learned he was six months too late, as British Captain Samuel Wallis aboard the HMS Dolphin was the first documented western explorer to arrive in Tahiti at Matavai Bay. Almost year to the date after Bougainville’s exploration of Tahiti, Captain James Cook arrived by orders of the Royal Society to help determine longitude by observing the transit of the planet Venus across the sun that would only be visible from a point, now known as Point Venus, in Matavai Bay, Tahiti on June 3, 1769. 2019 will mark the 250th anniversary for Captain Cook’s arrival, who left behind a legacy of scientific and geographical knowledge, including some of the first detailed maps of The Islands of Tahiti. The Islands of Tahiti and their tour operator partners are offering special 250 th anniversary packages and experiences for visitors to retrace the expeditions that connected and expanded the Old World with these remarkable islands. At the same time, with the introduction of new flight options, there is no better time than now to travel to The Islands of Tahiti. Frenchbee, who started service in May 2018, and United Airlines, which launched its non-stop San Francisco to Papeete route in October, join daily service of Air Tahiti Nui and thrice-weekly Air France from Los Angeles, as well as Hawaiian Airlines, which added a second weekly flight from Honolulu. With lower prices and variety of experiences and islands to explore in the destination, another fantastic reason to visit is the value and authenticity of staying at a Tahitian Guesthouse, a locally run and immersive type of accommodation. For a more affordable and easy vacation, travellers can now select from seasonal Tahitian Guesthouse packages featured on the Tahiti Tourism website Hall 5.2a / Stand 109 Samoa’s To Sua Ocean Trench is a must-see and has become very “Instagram worthy”. Accessed via a long ladder (or from a daring jump off the ladder), the turquoise waterhole/lava tube cave offers an out-of-this-world swimming experience. Located in the village of Lotofaga, Fuipisia Falls is a spectacular 55m high jungle waterfall. Experience Papaseea Sliding Rocks (natural water slides) and lose yourself in the tropical Falealupo Rainforest Reserve. Indeed, it’s time to add Beautiful Samoa to that bucket list and visit these small islands with a big heart! For those seeking to add to their travel bucket list, Beautiful Samoa is an idyllic destination with the power to completely mesmerize and just perfect for the curious traveller. Situated in the heart of the South Pacific between New Zealand and Hawaii, Samoa is known as the Treasured Islands of the South Pacific – the true heart of Polynesia. From its natural beauty, turquoise blue water, clear skies and pristine white beaches, here are five reasons why Beautiful Samoa is bucket list worthy. Postcard Perfect Beaches: Voted one of the ten most beautiful beaches in the world, Lalomanu Beach is the perfect spot to soak up the sun or watch the starry skies with its breath-taking views of the Pacific Ocean and the scenic mountains of Upolu. Visitors can opt for a traditional beach front accommodation and spend the night in one of Samoa’s beach fales. An overnight stay in these local huts offers a unique experience to fall asleep under the stars and share the life of the local villagers. Outstanding Natural Beauty: Besides unbelievably idyllic beaches, the “Taga Blowholes” are another must-see. When sea water is pushed through the cavernous lavas stone, fountains as high as 60 meters can be witnessed. Lava formations made by nature are impressive, even without water fountains shooting into the skies. Of course, divers will find more than enough possibilities to explore Samoa underwater. Reef breaks around the islands are guaranteed to offer fun and exhilarating surfing Hall 5.2a / Stand 110 ITB BERLIN NEWS • Wednesday 27 th February 2019 www.itb-berlin-news.com
OCEANIA REGION 43 © Amanda Cotton © Rob Suisted Papua New Guinea HULI WIGMEN AT ITB BERLIN - MEET A LOCAL TRIBE FROM PAPUA NEW GUINEA The Papua New Guinea Tourism Promotion Authority stand will play host to some special guests this year: The “Huli Wigmen”, a tribe from Tari in the Southern Highland Province. They will be presenting their traditions and culture three times a day, from Wednesday to Friday, at 12 mid-day, 2pm and 5pm. The Hulis will perform their traditional dances with their drums, dressed in their colorful costumes and their self-made wig which is made out of their own hair. Visitors are welcome to meet the Huli Wigmen and to experience part of Papua New Guinea’s diverse culture. Milford Sound, Fiordland, New Zealand New Zealand grows in popularity as off-peak destination MV Oceania NEW DIVE LIVE-ABOARD IN THE BISMARCK SEA Walindi Plantation Resort and MV FeBrina have announced the arrival of M.V. Oceania. A 27 metre catamaran accommodating up to 16 guests, Oceania will begin operation out of Walindi Plantation Resort in April 2019 with itineraries including Kimbe Bay, Witu Islands and Fathers Reefs. © MV Oceania Tourism New Zealand’s focus on attracting visitors to New Zealand in the off-peak seasons is having positive results. The latest international visitor arrival figures show that 2018 was New Zealand’s most popular spring yet, attracting 927,512 visitors – up 5.0% on 2017 and outpacing annual visitor arrival growth of 3.6%. Tourism New Zealand Chief Executive, Stephen England-Hall says seasonal spread of visitors is important to ensure a more productive and sustainable tourism sector: “Tourism New Zealand dedicates 100% of its marketing budget towards promoting New Zealand as an off-peak destination, spreading the benefits tourism delivers throughout the year,” says Mr England-Hall. “With more visitors arriving between March and November, tour operators, hotels, cafés – even local pharmacies and laundromats – see a steadier, more reliable stream of income throughout the year, resulting in more opportunities for businesses, local investment and employment” Hall 5.2a / Stand 102 HILTON OPENS ITS FIRST HOTEL IN PNG Global hotel giant Hilton has opened Hilton Port Moresby, marking the hospitality company’s first hotel in Papua New Guinea. Located in the government district of Port Moresby, Hilton Port Moresby is located just 10 minutes from Jacksons International Airport. As part of an agreement with Star Mountain Plaza, Hilton will also manage the newly completed and state-of-the-art Kutubu Convention Centre, which features plenary space for up to 800 people. NEW OPERATOR “PNG TRIBAL LANDS” EXHIBITS AT ITB BERLIN FOR THE FIRST TIME Founded by Philippe Gigliotti in 2018, Papua New Guinea Tribal Lands is the concretization of the growth of their former company Voyages en Papouasie. It is the result of extensive research and travels in the country since 1997 and of constant progress in the tourism industry for years Hall 5.2a / Stand 115 New Caledonia signs important new conservation agreement Philippe Germain, president of the New Caledonian Government, and Richard Jeo, vice-President of Conservation International Foundation, signed an important framework agreement on 12 February in the presence of François Tron, director of Conservation International New Caledonia. After an initial agreement signed in 2012, the parties have agreed to work further on a four-point plan to further the protection of the marine areas around the archipelago. In August 2018, the government already created 28,000 sq km of reserves, in Chesterfield, Bellona, D’Entrecasteaux, Petri and Astrolabe, of which 7,000 sq km are “integral reserves” (as against 0.6 sq km previously). This is the highest level of protection of the international Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). By this classification, no access or human activity is permitted, except in the context of scientific research validated beforehand by government order Hall 5.2a / Stand 110 ITB BERLIN NEWS • Wednesday 27 th February 2019
