Vanuatu operators pitch more island trips to Australians as visitor numbers rise

The Vanuatu Tourism Office (VTO) brought its Tok Tok trade roadshow to Australia for the first time, holding events in Brisbane and Sydney to reconnect with travel advisors and show what the South Pacific nation has to offer. It was the first Tok Tok since 2023, gathering 19 suppliers from across Vanuatu's 83 islands — the largest delegation of its kind to visit Australia.

Key facts

• First Tok Tok roadshow staged in Australia, with trade events in Brisbane and Sydney
• 19 suppliers from Vanuatu's 83 islands attended
• Australian arrivals rose 42 per cent in January 2026 compared with January 2020
• A 38 per cent year-on-year rise in Australian arrivals between January and July 2026
• Australia is Vanuatu's largest tourism market, with a market share of more than 60 per cent
• Tok Tok returns to Vanuatu in 2027

How are Australian travellers getting to Vanuatu?

VTO chief executive officer Adela Issachar Aru said flights to Vanuatu are connected and arriving daily to Port Vila and Espiritu Santo. Virgin Australia launched direct flights from Brisbane to Port Vila in 2023, and Qantas and Jetstar began Sydney to Port Vila services in 2024.

Solomon Airlines flies from Brisbane to Santo, which Aru said opens up Espiritu Santo to the Australian market.

Are Australian visitor numbers rising?

VTO reported a 42 per cent increase in Australian arrivals in January 2026 compared with January 2020, and a 38 per cent year-on-year increase between January and July 2026. Aru said Australia is Vanuatu's number one tourism market, with a market share of more than 60 per cent.

What kind of trips are travellers looking for?

Aru said Vanuatu is positioned as an adventure destination rather than only a beach escape, and that Australian travellers are showing more interest in adventure and cultural experiences beyond swimming at well-known spots such as the blue hole or Port Vila's Blue Lagoon. She also pointed to growing interest in sustainable travel and giving back to local communities, noting that the government's sustainable tourism policy underpins the changes VTO wants to introduce.

While Efate, home to Port Vila, remains the main gateway, VTO wants more Australians to explore the wider archipelago. Plans to grow visitation to the outer islands sit alongside new accommodation and tourism developments expected over the next five years.

What this means for travellers

Australians planning a Vanuatu trip have direct services from Brisbane and Sydney to Port Vila, plus a Brisbane to Santo option, with flights arriving daily to Port Vila and Espiritu Santo. VTO's push beyond Efate suggests more choice outside Port Vila, with new accommodation and tourism developments expected over the next five years.

Both Brisbane and Sydney events featured cultural performances by Chief Edgar Hinge. VTO is now preparing to bring Tok Tok back to Vanuatu in 2027, where international trade partners will be able to meet local operators and see new product offerings first-hand.