NZ supplies 17.73 mln USD for Vanuatu's cyclone-hit tourism

The New Zealand government on Tuesday announced a package worth 26 million NZ dollars (17.73 million U.S. dollars) to help the recovery of Vanuatu's tourism industry after Cyclone Pam.

"Tourism accounts for 20 percent of the Vanuatu economy and employs 26 percent of the labor force. Getting the tourism sector back up a running is vital to Vanuatu's long-term recovery from Cyclone Pam," Foreign Minister Murray McCully said in a statement.

The funding comprised 10 million NZ dollars (6.82 million U.S. dollars) to help restore confidence in Vanuatu as a tourist destination and a 16 million NZ dollars (10.91 million U.S. dollars) for infrastructure redevelopment, focused on the waterfront and cruise ship precinct in Port Vila.

"The tourism component will focus on increasing tourism income and employment opportunities through an international marketing campaign, raising standards, and developing new tourism products and services," said McCully.

"Our support for the redevelopment of the waterfront will greatly improve the cruise ship visitor experience and better connect the cruise ship precinct with local tourism operators and markets," he said.

"This investment will also help ensure these vital facilities are able to cope with growing arrival numbers and are more resilient to future storms and extreme weather events."

The funding was in addition to the 5 million NZ dollars (3.41 million U.S. dollars) for humanitarian and early recovery work provided since the cyclone hit in March, killing about 15 people.

New Zealand would provide other aid in areas such as education, water and sanitation once Vanuatu presented its overall recovery plan, McCully said. Endi