20150320-pm06-vanuatufridayrpl

DAVID MARK: A week after Tropical Cyclone Pam left a path of destruction in Vanuatu, planning's begun to revive the valuable tourism industry.

Tourism accounts for about 20 per cent of the South Pacific nation's economy.

Some operators are already back in business, but others need more time to rebuild.

Brendan Trembath reports.

BRENDAN TREMBATH: Blue skies have returned to Vanuatu, which only a week ago was in the grip of Tropical Cyclone Pam.

SIMON TURNER: The weather's been absolutely gorgeous the last three or four days, which has made our flying operations easy and Vanuatu is still the tropical paradise it always has been, just needs a bit of a tidy up, that's all.

BRENDAN TREMBATH: Simon Turner is a commercial pilot and the chief executive officer of Air Taxi Vanuatu.

Since the category five cyclone hit, they've been flying aid to outer islands and operating observation flights for officials, aid agencies and the media.

SIMON TURNER: There's obviously a little bit of damage to a number of the resorts in (Port) Vila. You know, once they get into it, that could all be repaired probably within a month or so I think to get sort of essential services up and running again.

I think communication is one of the most important aspects to being able to operate tourism here. We take a lot of tourists down to Tanna to see the volcano down there, and of course if you can't communicate with the people down there, there's no way to arrange anything. So that's probably the most important service to be up and running first before we can start sort of seeing some semblance of normality return to the industry.

BRENDAN TREMBATH: He says Whitegrass Airport on Tanna only sustained minor damage.

SIMON TURNER: A section of the roof came off the terminal building. I've actually just spoken to the airport's Vanuatu Limited infrastructure manager, and he said that within a week they'll have that repaired. And so that's basically all that's required.

I mean the structures at most of the airports/airstrips are all pretty basic anyway so there's really not a huge amount to repair to get them back to how they were and operational again.

BRENDAN TREMBATH: The status of the airports is a likely subject at a meeting next week to discuss the tourism industry's recovery.

Linda Kalpoi is the general manager of the Vanuatu Tourism Office.

LINDA KALPOI: What's most important for us is to get the destination ready and be able to receive our visitors.

BRENDAN TREMBATH: How big an industry is tourism for Vanuatu?

LINDA KALPOI: Tourism industry is huge for Vanuatu in the sense it contributes about 20 per cent of the GDP to Vanuatu as a nation. It is the key industry that Vanuatu economy mostly relies on.

BRENDAN TREMBATH: I guess at this early stage it's hard to even get in contact with people across your island nation because of the communications?

LINDA KALPOI: Yeah that's correct, but the island of (Espirtu) Santo, basically it's open for business.

BRENDAN TREMBATH: And which parts of the country will need help recovering?

LINDA KALPOI: Efate, which is the main island; Port Vila, we have a few of our hotels who are - will be open to business in a very short time.

BRENDAN TREMBATH: Re-establishing the tourism industry will involve re-educating tourists about what to expect on a visit to Vanuatu.

Gabby Walters is a lecturer and researcher in the School of Business at the University of Queensland.

GABBY WALTERS: Vanuatu really need to focus on communicating to the potential visitor that the actual status of the destination and what there is available and as well as getting that message across that, you know, if they want to assist Vanuatu in the recovery, the best way to do so is to take a holiday there.

DAVID MARK: Dr Gabby Walters from the University of Queensland ending that report by Brendan Trembath.