Best Honeymoon Destinations For 2017- 2018

The islands of Santorini in the Cyclades and Corfu in the Ionian sea are among the 20 “Best Honeymoon Destinations for 2017-18” in the world, according to the digital news and information company U.S. News & World Report.

Tuscany ranked first and is followed by Tahiti and Bora Bora. The top 5 Best Honeymoon Destinations for 2017-18 include St. Lucia and the Fiji islands in the fourth and fifth place respectively.

Santorini ranked 14th for its brilliant sunsets, rich Greek food and romantic hotels. The island is almost tailor-made for those who have just said ‘I do’.

Honeymooners can lounge on red- and black-sand beaches before taking in historic sites or visiting the island’s wineries, the US News & World Report said.

The company urges newlyweds to visit the towns of Fira and Oia and catch a breathtaking view of the caldera; explore the impressively preserved Ancient Akrotiri and take a daytrip to Thirassia, and the volcanic islands of Nea Kameni and Palea Kameni.

Furthermore, it underlines that Santorini’s volcanic activity plays a role in many of island’s popular activities, from swimming to exploring ancient ruins once buried in ash.

Corfu ranked 18th on the list for its lush green landscape and sprawling, pebbly beaches.

Used as the backdrop for epic tales by both Homer and Shakespeare, the island of Corfu, or Kerkyra, continues to attract weary travelers looking to escape from the hustle and bustle of everyday life, the US News & World Report said.

Apart from the stunning beaches, the island is also home to interesting museums and sites, including the Old Corfu Town, the Old Fortress and the Church of Agios Spiridon.

Both islands are also included in the 12 Best Destination Weddings Spots in Europe, according to the US News & World Report. Santorini ranked sixth and Corfu eleventh, while Tuscany, Porto and Paris top the list.

Santorini is highlighted for its plethora of pristine ocean views, as couples can choose to get married high atop the caldera or along the island’s east coast.

Being a bigger island, Corfu offers more venue options, with most preferable sports being the Venetian-influenced Corfu Town and the island’s chapels overlooking the waters of the clear blue Ionian Sea.


Tourism Observer

AUSTRALIA: South Pacific Tourism Organisation Launches New Website

Travelers interested in visiting the South Pacific are now able to access instant information on Pacific countries through the www.southpacificislands.travel site, launched at the 4th South Pacific Tourism Exchange in Sydney, Australia last month.

The new domain name linking the key words South Pacific islands and travel is the new home for the South Pacific Tourism Organisations (SPTO) revamped website reflecting the organization mandate as the regional agency responsible for marketing and developing tourism in the region.

The new look website has been developed in line with the new SPTO brand launched one year ago at the 26th Council of Tourism Ministers meeting in the Cook Islands reflecting the key message of “Ours is Yours’ which is also an invitation for the world to come and discover the South Pacific and share in what the region has to offer.

The website has also been tailored to meet the requirements of SPTO’s corporate clients in particular clients who work with SPTO to market the region to the world.

These clients will have access to the large database of accentuated Pacific images to assist them with doing their work, through the password protected area of the site.

The refreshed regional tourism website will strengthen SPTO’s capacity in a number of different areas, including regional destination marketing and servicing membership requirements and providing more information in the area of niche markets, SPTO Chief Executive Officer, Chris Cocker said.

It has been tailored specifically for the different types of clientele served by SPTO and we are excited that it has been launched and we are now live, so let us work together to make tourism happen in the region!” he added.

The site is expected to also boost the marketing efforts of SPTO member countries by providing visitors with access to specific pages on activities and tours available in the different countries and help them plan their trip by linking them directly to tour operators and destination websites.

The site has a specific portal for travel agents who choose to become South Pacific specialists where they can access training material for 16 Pacific Island destinations and for specific niche markets in the region. These niche markets include, weddings and honeymoons and diving.

Other aspects of the site include an interactive map of the Pacific with specific in country maps and links to all SPTO
Social media sites, as well as blogs on the region and latest news releases from SPTO.

About SPTO

Established in 1983 as the Tourism Council of the South Pacific, the South Pacific Tourism Organisation (SPTO)
is the mandated organisation representing Tourism in the region. Its 18 Government members are American Samoa,Cook Islands,Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, French Polynesia, Kiribati, Nauru, Marshall Islands, New Caledonia,Niue, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Timor Leste, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu and the People’s Republic of China.

In addition to government members, the South Pacific
Tourism Organisation enlists a private sector membership
base.

MALDIVES: Maldives Has Become An Increasingly Popular Honeymoon Destination

Whether it’s for a honeymoon or an amorous escape, the Maldives with its 26 atolls, almost 1,200 islands, and over 120 luxury escapes to choose from, it comes as no surprise that the Maldives has become an increasingly popular honeymoon destination.

Brides magazine by leading travel company Condé Nast – host to some of the biggest publications such as Vogue and The New Yorker – has published winners of the Brides 2017 Honeymoon Awards. The Maldives was ranked in the fourth spot from an extravagant list that included 20 of the most romantic honeymoon destinations in the world.

“The lush, picture-perfect islands that make up this Indian Ocean archipelago are light-years beyond your average beach destination,” described Brides magazine.

Naming some of the private-island resorts in the Maldives – the likes of Soneva Jani, St. Regis Maldives Vommuli, and Four Seasons Maldives Private Island at Voavah – the magazine described the islands as being “ringed by colorful coral reefs teeming with fish and the occasional shark.”

It suggested travellers, especially those seeking the perfect honeymoon destinations, to visit the Maldives and “spend your days snorkelling, scuba diving, and lounging on the deck of your overwater villa; by night, dine by candlelight on freshly caught fish and organic veggies, then follow that with a stargazing sesh with a NASA-worthy telescope.”

Winners of the 2017 Brides Honeymoon Awards showcase a wide diversity of destinations that have made the list including French Polynesia, Italy, The Hawaiian Islands, Greece, Bali, Mexico, Thailand, Fiji, South Africa, France, St. Lucia, Turks & Caicos, Costa Rica, Seychelles, Australia, New Zealand, St. Barth, Jamaica and the Dominican Republic.

In its pursuit of discovering the most romantic hot spots of the world, Brides teamed up with A-list agents at Virtuoso, a global network of more than 15,000 luxury-travel specialists. Given the endless romantic destinations, countless hotel options paired with limited vacation time, Brides magazine explained that “picking the perfect honeymoon is no easy feat.”

Sun Siyam Resorts has unveiled ‘Uncover Asia’ – offering travellers 5% off on all room types when a Sun Siyam Resort in Maldives is booked together with Sun Aqua Pasikudah in Sri Lanka. The Uncover Asia package is valid for guests travelling anytime between May 9 and November 1.

In addition, guests booking with the Sun Siyam Irufushi Maldives from May 9 to September 30 are eligible for another special offer; free dining plan upgrades where guests benefit from a complimentary upgrade to the next dining plan.

According to the resort, guests booking bed and breakfast can indulge themselves in free dinner, while guests booking half-board are upgraded and provided with free lunch. Guests booking full-board get a free upgrade to the all-inclusive package, the resort said.

The Sun Siyam brand currently operates boutique luxury resorts in the Maldives and Sri Lanka; Sun Siyam Iru Fushi Maldives, Olhuveli Beach & Spa Maldives, Sun Aqua Vilu Reef Maldives and Sun Aqua Pasikudah, Sri Lanka.

Lily Beach Resort and Spa has appointed Patrice Aira as the new Resort Manager. A French national from Toulouse, Patrice joined the Lily Beach team in March.

Patrice started his career as a busboy in the dining room of Four Seasons Hotel in Seattle and worked up the ladder in the food and beverages division of several hotels before he was appointed the Resort Manager at Four Seasons Resort in Mauritius.

“The Maldives is the epitome of paradise. In addition to the natural allure, I wanted to experience the Maldives’ hospitality industry first hand,” he said about the Maldives.

“Plus, the proximity of Sri Lanka and India brings about a nice mix of cultures that I was curious to discover.”

Patrice also worked as a Consultant for Richey International Ltd. and an Auditor for MKG QUALITING before his latest appointment at Lily Beach.

“When I arrived at the resort, I was amazed by the shades of blue that were surrounding the island. Also, the friendly faces that you see right upon the arrival… it’s a truly welcoming feeling,” he said.

“Everyone is loyal and focused on providing personalised service from the bottom of their heart. I’ve never seen anything like that before. What also reveals that Lily Beach stands head over shoulders above several other holiday destinations is the fact that so many of our guests feel like at home here and keep returning to the resort year after year, he said, explaining what makes Lily Beach a fascinating island.

“It’s especially inspiring to hear that even those guests who pride themselves in never spending their holiday at the same place twice make an exception with Lily!”

Patrice has an astounding fascination for diving, He said: “I devote the majority of my spare time on the island to diving the astounding coral reefs of South Ari Atoll.” He completed his Master of Business Administration at the Ecole Supérieure Internationale de Savignac in France.

Rewind back a couple of years and for most holiday-makers, the concept of wellness rarely went beyond spas. From carefully curated massages and scrubs offered in luxurious facilities, to the occasional yoga session in the morning, the definition of wellness remained very confined and vague.

But today, the scene has shifted to more travelers looking for a true escape, not just to relax a tired body, but to calm an overly stressed mind. This is where the hospitality industry comes to play.

With lifestyles becoming more hectic day by day, people have been prioritising personal wellbeing and integrating aspects of it into their holidays. The hospitality industry, especially within tropical destinations, has been observing a shift from party-centric holidays, to soothing escapes.

Last year, the wellness industry raked in a whopping US$3.7 trillion (2016, Global Wellness Summit) within the global economy. Beyond the spas, holiday makers have been putting their trust in different ends of the wellness spectrum to embrace healthier habits.

As a word, it might be modern. But as a concept, wellness dates back to the ancient times of the Roman baths. Over the years, “spa” has created an identity for itself while “wellness” is still trying to find its true place. WHO’s definition of health, “a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity”, is what laid the groundwork for wellness in the mid-20th century.

An estimated breakdown of the wellness industry cluster shows surprising results. While the component of “spa” contributes to the industry, other elements of the cluster have overtaken it. The cluster has separated elements that are wellness-oriented approaches and conventional medical-oriented approaches.

Beauty and anti-ageing tops the wellness cluster, with healthy eating and nutrition contributing the second largest chunk, and the spa industry ranking number 8 out of the 10 sectors.

Several institutes have predicted select wellness trends that travelers are moving towards this year, with the Global Wellness Summit identifying 8 trends for 2017 and beyond. Together with trends identified by other institutes, below are some of the key trends with huge potential for hoteliers to tap into.

The origins of spa saw men being very inclusive in the scene, yet overtime, spa and wellness became an approach that had more of a feminine touch to it. However, recent trends are showing the evolution from the “macho man” to the “modern man”, who is more accepting of escaping to a wellness holiday, with properties branding packages just for men.

A “Gentleman’s retreat” may include a more active itinerary with activities such as boxing, aqua fitness and winding down with a massage or even a skin care routine.

For more and more people, ageing gracefully is becoming a personal target in life. The mass appeal has provided a rise in preventative health care, with holiday makers seeking anti-ageing options to slow down the biological clock. A rising popularity for this is also coupled with travelers seeking stop-smoking retreats to help break bad habits and build the first steps to a healthier lifestyle. It is time for hoteliers to embrace the trend of ageing gracefully.

Long gone are the days when you see every single guest load up daily on sausages and fried eggs at the buffet breakfast! This is the age of detox, proportioning nutritious meals, ridding the body of toxins, keeping away from certain proteins such as gluten not by need, but by choice.

Holiday-makers are starting to explore more holistic resorts where dining and wellness are integrated. Fasting and ridiculously small-sized diet portions are not in the picture anymore, replaced with organic and filling meals that provide an overall satisfying experience.

Many of the predicted trends are already in play, with more resorts and retreats planning to cater to these travelers with different experiences. In September 2017, the Wellness Summit by Hotelier Maldives will bring together all the movers and shakers within the Maldivian hospitality industry, in an attempt to explore the potential to fuel the trends for the wellness industry in the Maldives, and imagine innovative directions to move forward.

The next article in the series will look into the current state of the wellness industry within the hospitality scene in Maldives, exploring the minds of key innovative leaders.

SAMOA: Promoting Samoa Tourism Better

The logistics of attracting European tourists precludes any acceptable R.O.I. on limited Samoan tourism marketing funds.

How can you ask someone to travel 20 plus hours just to get in the pacific region, only then to have to get another connection or two to get to Samoa?

Fiji, French Polynesia And South East Asia are currently getting most of these travellers because of colonial connections or through superior transport logistics.

Samoa needs to expand the low hanging fruit picking strategy that has been used to great effect to attract N.Z. tourists and get far more Australian tourists to visit Samoa.

Currently fewer true tourists come from Australia compared to N.Z., however with 5 times the population, or 4 times just on the east coast, there is great potential to yield solid incremental growth with a little effort.

That is good R.O.I. for the scarce Samoan international marketing funds.

Many of my Aussie friends are sick of going to Bali, Thailand and even Fiji, with those that have ventured here really enjoying the unique Samoan experience and most vowing to return in a couple of years. Had they not had a Samoan connection to come and visit, Samoa would have remained the best-kept secret it currently is on the Australian tourist destination radar.

If numbers from Australia were to double, it would still proportionally be half of N.Z., but this would represent maybe 20-25% growth in tourism for Samoa.

Such growth is possible with the current infrastructure and would go along way to raise the average occupancy from the current 40% to the targeted 60% by 2020.

Also consider that the inbound routes are already there and if successful would only need to be expanded rather than established, much cheaper and easier. With the imminent rising of the Polynesian Phoenix, such a strategy to target the Australian market would actually support efforts to build a sustainable national carrier.

Finally Australia has a higher per capita G.D.P. than N.Z., so it would be reasonable to assume that Aussies would spend more when holidaying here, another key goal of Samoan tourism.

To plagiarize a controversial but effective line from Australia’s tourism marketing o a few years ago... “Aussies, where the bloody hell are ya!”

SAMOA: South Pacific Tourism Organisation Markets Samoa Tourism

The South Pacific Tourism Organisation (S.P.T.O.) is creating greater awareness of tourism in the South Pacific Islands region across Europe, through a series of marketing events over the next two months.

Meet the Pacific is a series of one-day business-to-business meetings that’s held across five European cities, namely Barcelona, Milan, Prague, Zurich and Manchester from 22 February to 6 March.

It creates the opportune platform for Pacific tourism suppliers to meet with key European tour operators (buyers) who are committed to or interested in selling the South Pacific as a destination to their clients.

“Meet The Pacific is a great way for South Pacific tourism bodies and operators to meet with key industry buyers in Europe in a short period of time, and maximize their resources with maximum impact for their particular destinations, product and service offerings,” said S.P.T.O. Marketing Manager, Alisi Lutu.

Now in its third year, the event is organised by Rosie Holidays (Fiji) and Turama Pacific (Cook Islands) and supported by S.P.T.O.

On 25 February, S.P.T.O. will also participate in a consumer tourism event called Visit Pacific in Malmo, Sweden.

Visit Pacific organiser Tour Pacific, a Swedish-based South Pacific Travel Specialist, has confirmed 33 exhibiting companies including airlines, cruise operators, tourism offices and hotels from Samoa, Fiji, Cook Islands, Papua New Guinea, Tahiti and Vanuatu expected to attend.

S.P.T.O’s presence at Visit Pacific will help ensure that the region’s smaller Pacific Island destinations get a voice at this key event.

These events lead up to South Pacific Islands’ participation in I.T.B Berlin, the world’s largest consumer and travel trade show in Europe from 8 to 12 March along with national tourism offices and private sector (airlines, resorts, tour operators) from Samoa, Fiji, Cook Islands,

New Caledonia, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Tahiti and Vanuatu.

The annual event attracts thousands of participants and experts mainly from the European travel and tourism industry, as well as globally.

Participants at I.T.B. range from all sectors of the tourism and travel industry including travel agents, wholesalers, tour operators, hotels, airlines, media, government representatives and other travel related companies.

S.P.T.O. will use the I.T.B. platform to promote the new South Pacific Islands brand identity, launched in October 2016 into the wider European market, which is highly diverse and remains one of the key consistent markets in the world today.

Total visitor arrivals from Europe to the Pacific Islands region have fluctuated from 177,828 visitors in 2011 to 173,278 visitors in 2015. A decrease of 172,824 visitors is estimated for 2016, which may be largely attributed to impacts of Brexit. The forecast for 2017 is 173,222 visitors.

Participation at Meet the Pacific, Visit the Pacific and I.T.B. 2017 allows Pacific Island countries to invigorate key networks; re-establish contracts; enter new markets by creating business opportunities through sales leads and introduce new products and services to the European travel market.

Europe is the 3rd largest tourist source market, representing about 10% of all visitor arrivals to the Pacific Islands region; following Australia and New Zealand holding steadfast, a combined 50% market share.

“It is important for the sustainability of Pacific tourism that we are maintaining marketing and promotional presence and engaging productive partnerships with European travel partners on selling our Pacific Island destinations.

This will help encourage the needed growth of visitor traffic and yields out of these long haul markets into our Pacific island economies,” said S.P.T.O. Marketing Manager Alisi Lutu.

S.P.T.O will also promote its online South Pacific Specialist programme to train European travel agents on how to best market and sell the South Pacific to their clients

SOLOMON ISLANDS: Visitor Numbers Grow Showing 4.5 Increase

The Solomon Islands tourism industry has closed off Q3 in positive mode with international visitor arrival figures for the nine-month period January – September showing a solid 4.5 per cent increase over the corresponding period in 2015.

Official figures released by the Solomon Islands National Statistics Office this week show a total of 16,381 visitors arrived across the period, 706 more than the 15,675 figure achieved last year.

Australian arrivals again continued to dominate, the 6868 September intake representing 41 per cent of all international visitation.

US arrivals also continued to increase, up 10.8 per cent from 1039 in 2015 to reach in 1152 in 2016.

Good growth from New Zealand with Kiwi visitor arrivals continuing their upwards climb – increasing 3.7 per cent from 1096 in 2015 to reach 1136 this year. into place as the second biggest visitor source over the US.

Visitors arrivals from Fiji, the Solomon Islands fourth biggest source market, stayed firm, increasing 8.8 per cent from 1031 in 2015 to 1122 in 2016.

Collective Asian visitor arrivals also showed positive growth, the 2232 figure achieved for Q3 2016 representing a 22.4 per cent increase over the corresponding period in 2015.

Solomon Islands Visitors Bureau CEO, Jo ‘Josefa’ Tuamoto attributed the increase in Asian visitation to the efforts his marketing team have gone to in recent months while attending key travel EXPOs in Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore and South Korea.

Mr Tuamoto said preliminary forward booking numbers received from both locally based Solomon Islands) tour operators, hoteliers and overseas wholesalers packaging the destination all indicate the destination can look forward to a very strong Q4.

FIJI: South Pacific Tourism Organisation Hosts Miss Pacific Islands 2016, Anne Christine Dunn

National and regional pageants give recognition to young Pacific Island women and their contributions to regional affairs across diverse fields.

This was highlighted by the South Pacific Tourism Organisation that welcomed and hosted Miss Pacific Islands 2016 Anne Christine Dunn to a luncheon at their office in Suva today.

South Pacific Tourism Organisation Chief Executive Officer Chris Cocker says Dunn, who is also Miss Fiji 2016 was recently crowned the overall winner at the 30th Miss Pacific Islands pageant last week in Apia, Samoa.

Eight Pacific Island beauties from American Samoa, Cook Islands, Fiji, Nauru, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Tonga and Samoa competed in this year’s event.

Cocker says that the Pacific’s tourism assets are its people, environment and culture; and pageants serve as a unique platform to celebrate these assets.

He adds that SPTO, as the leading regional body for tourism promotion, will continue to support national and regional pageants that celebrate cultural diversity, promote our idyllic Pacific destinations, and contribute to foreign exchange earnings of the host country.

Miss Pacific Islands 2016 Anne Dunn is championing awareness on climate change and tourism in the Pacific, with a special focus on young women and youths.

SAMOA: Sheraton Samoa Aggie Grey’s Hotel & Bungalows

Sheraton Hotels & Resorts has announced the opening of Sheraton Samoa Aggie Grey’s Hotel & Bungalows, located on the island of Samoa in the south Pacific Ocean. The resort marks the Sheraton brand’s second property in Samoa, following last year’s debut of Sheraton Samoa Aggie Grey’s Resort. Under the ownership of the distinguished Grey family in Samoa, Sheraton Samoa Aggie Grey’s Hotel & Bungalows has completed a multi-million dollar renovation ahead of opening under the Sheraton flag, featuring extensive upgrades throughout the entire property.

“Known for its first mover advantage, Sheraton is once again leading the way in making an extraordinary destination like Samoa more accessible.” said Sean Hunt, Regional Vice President, Pacific, Starwood Hotels & Resorts. “The addition of Sheraton Samoa Aggie Grey’s Hotel & Bungalows is a natural step following the successful opening of our first Sheraton resort on the island last year. We are honoured to be working alongside the Grey family, an established owner and esteemed family, and to be a part of the next chapter of this much-loved hotel.”

Founded by Aggie Grey in 1933, the original hotel was established as a high profile club and gathering place for American servicemen stationed in Samoa during WWII. Having completed a comprehensive top to bottom refresh, the property’s new design combines its colonial heritage and classic charm with contemporary updates and features to appeal to today’s modern traveller. All 175 guest rooms, bungalows and suites are spacious and styled to complement the idyllic South Pacific setting, with contrasting dark wood furnishings against neutral tones. Accommodations offer the Sheraton brand’s signature amenities and services, including a premium sleep experience, and guests staying in the hotel’s Club Rooms can enjoy upgraded in-room amenities and special access to the Sheraton Club Lounge.

The hotel’s robust renovation features new, luxurious on-site facilities, including a swimming pool and lap pool, Sheraton fitness centre, Manaia Polynesian Spa, offering local and signature treatments, and 916 square metres of flexible meeting and conference space. Sheraton Samoa Aggie Grey’s Hotel & Bungalows also offers diverse dining options, such as Aggie Grey’s by Peter Kuruvita, combining flavours from across the world with an array of fresh produce available in Samoa. The Sheraton brand’s signature restaurant is located by the pool and offers all-day dinning with an indulgent spread of international fare, including buffet and a la carte options. At the Lobby Bar, guests can enjoy a mix of artisanal small plates and eclectic bar snacks, served alongside suggested premium wines and selected craft beers from the Sheraton brand’s new Paired menu. For casual dining, The Tea Lounge offers coffee, light snacks and fresh-baked treats from the gourmet deli.

Forming part of Polynesia, Samoa is an island nation nestled in the South Pacific, a five hour flight from the east coast of Australia. Renowned for its natural beauty, including jungles, waterfalls and lava fields, Samoa is an exotic paradise that offers rich cultural heritage as well. Located in the Samoan capital of Apia on Main Beach Road, just a 30-minute drive from Faleolo International Airport, Sheraton Samoa Aggie Grey’s Hotel & Bungalows overlooks a stunning harbour on the edge of the Pacific Ocean. The hotel is centrally located with many local attractions and activities nearby including the Palolo Deep Marine Reserve, which is regarded as one of the most beautiful underwater spots in Samoa. The commercial areas of Apia are also within easy access for guests, making it an ideal choice for business, leisure or both.

“Starwood’s footprint in the Pacific continues to expand, and the Pacific region remains a key growth market and opportunity for us,” continued Hunt. “Sheraton Samoa Aggie Grey’s Hotel & Bungalows is an important addition for the Sheraton brand, underscoring its aggressive expansion plans as part of Sheraton 2020 – the comprehensive 10-point plan designed to put Sheraton Hotels & Resorts back in the global spotlight.”

The iconic Sheraton brand currently operates 11 properties in the Pacific region, including Sheraton Melbourne Hotel; Sheraton New Caledonia Deva Resort & Spa and Sheraton Resort & Spa, Tokoriki Island, Fiji and Sheraton Samoa Aggie Grey’s Resort. Sheraton Adelaide Hotel (Australia) is slated to open early 2019.

FIJI: Tourists Flee Fiji Over Cyclone Disaster

International tourists began fleeing cyclone-devastated Fiji on Monday amid fears the death toll from the most powerful storm to ever hit the Pacific island nation is set to rise steeply.

International tourists began fleeing cyclone-devastated Fiji on Monday (Feb 22) amid fears the death toll from the most powerful storm to ever hit the Pacific island nation is set to rise steeply.

The official body count from severe tropical cyclone Winston stands at six but the Fiji Broadcasting Corporation reported at least 10 were dead, with fears for another seven fishermen missing at sea.

The super-storm lashed the popular tourist destination overnight on Saturday, packing gusts of 325 kilometres per hour. It was the first maximum category five cyclone to hit Fiji and left a trail of destruction, flattening scores of homes and crippling infrastructure.

Oxfam's Pacific regional director Raijeli Nicole said some of the remote communities that bore the brunt of the storm had still not been heard from and officials feared the worst.

"The Fijians are desperately trying to repair severed lines of communication, but they hold grave fears that the news waiting for them will be dire," she said.

"Given the intensity of the storm and the images we have seen so far, there are strong concerns that the death toll won't stop climbing today and that hundreds of people will have seen their homes and livelihoods completely destroyed."

International tourists caught up in the disaster began to leave as flights resumed at Nadi airport after a two-day suspension.

Air New Zealand confirmed one of its aircraft departed at 9.30am (5.30am Singapore time) and other carriers including Jetstar, Virgin Australia and Fiji Airways were also expected to begin operations again.

Fiji's economy relies on tourism and the island chain is a major destination for Australians and New Zealanders.

Melbourne man Jeremy Bree told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation that he heard trees being ripped from the ground as he sat out the storm in a hotel at Denaru on the main island Viti Levu.

"It was pretty amazing just looking out and seeing the wind gusts just absolutely buffeting the trees," he said. "The noise around was something I've never heard before, it was a real harrowing whine that came through."

The airport's opening allowed aid efforts to ramp up, with Australia announcing a Aus$5.0 million (US$3.6 million) package including basics such as food and drinking water.

Foreign Minister Julie Bishop said Canberra had also offered the use of a P-3 Orion aircraft and MRH-90 helicopters to reach outlying islands. "The full impact of this disaster is still not known. We stand ready to provide further assistance to support Fiji's relief and recovery effort," she said.

The island nation has declared a month-long state of natural disaster after the storm that Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama described as an "assault on Fiji".

All schools, many of which are being used as evacuation centres, were ordered closed for one week and military leave has been cancelled so troops can help with the clean-up.

The acting head of the Red Cross's Pacific office Ahmad Sami said an accurate assessment of the storm's impact would take time. "We anticipate that humanitarian needs will be very high," he told AFP.

"This is the first time that Fiji has experienced a cyclone of this magnitude in their history, a category five, so we're still trying to find out the figures."

He said priorities were restoring power and repairing damaged homes, as well as maintaining drinking water supplies in more than 700 evacuation centres.

NIGERIA: Visa Free Countries For Holders Of Nigerian Passports

As a Nigerian citizen with a Nigerian passport, there are certain countries which do not require a visa or a visa-lottery upon entry so long as you have your Nigerian passport.

However, for some of these countries, there is an estimated amount of time you are expected to spend before a visa will be demanded for. The period of days for which you can stay varies from country to country and then you would have to obtain a visa, at least this is not like a gamble when you play the visa- lottery.

The easiest way to know the visa free countries is to list all the countries you may visit visa free is to split them into continents. In the Americas you may access Barbados for six months, Dominica for 21 days, Grenada, Haiti, Saint Kitts and Nevis for three months and Turks and Caicos Islands for 30 days.

In Asia you can freely arrive in the following countries to which you will then be issued with a visa once in the country. In Azerbaijan, Laos, Macau and Timor-Leste you are granted with a 30 day visa. In Bangladesh you are granted a 90 day visa.

In Oceania you may access Micronesia, Nauru, Niue, Vanuatu and Palau for 30 days, Cook Islands for 31 days, Tuvalu for one month, Samoa for 60 days and Fiji for four months.

In Africa Nigerian passport holders can visit the following countries visa-free; Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Cameroon, Chad, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Gambia, Guinea, Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger Senegal and Uganda, basically all the West African countries.

Please note that this posted was last modified on the 5th of March 2014. Kosovo is no longer visa free for Nigerians and many African countries.

You can also get visa-on-arrival in Kenya.