No one knows the South Pacific better than Richard Skewes, owner of Precise Travel Marketing. He has worked across South Pacific tourism for more than 40 years, spanning wholesale, resorts, airlines, national tourism offices and representation. Rich also heads up the Treasures of the South Pacific as the President.
Travel Monitor catches up with Rich to discuss all things South Pacific.
How has the Australian and New Zealand trade’s approach to selling the Pacific changed most significantly in that time?
When I first started, the South Pacific was sold very much through relationships, brochures, product nights and personal knowledge. Agents knew the product because they had either been there, met the operator, sat through the training, or had someone they trusted explaining where each island fitted. There was far less technology, but often a much stronger sense of destination knowledge.
Today, the trade has far more tools, access and information, but also far more noise. Agents are expected to know the world, not just one region, and many are working under enormous time pressure. So the biggest change is that we have moved from a knowledge-led sales environment to a very fast, availability-led environment.
That is both a challenge and an opportunity. The Pacific still needs storytelling. It is not always a simple “click and book” region. Each destination has its own culture, rhythm, air access, accommodation style and ideal traveller. The agents who invest even a little time into understanding those differences are the ones who can sell it with confidence — and very often create far better holidays for their clients.
Precise Travel Marketing specialises in connecting South Pacific destinations and resorts with the Australian and New Zealand markets. What are the biggest opportunities you are seeing right now for agents selling the region?
The biggest opportunity is that travellers are increasingly looking for places that feel genuine, safe, uncrowded and worth the journey. That is exactly where much of the South Pacific sits. Fiji will always be a major powerhouse for the region, but there is growing opportunity for agents to introduce clients to the broader Pacific — Tonga, Samoa, the Cook Islands, Vanuatu, Solomon Islands, Norfolk Island and beyond.
There is also a strong opportunity in matching the right product to the right client. Through PTM, I work with a real mix of destinations and resorts — from national tourism offices such as Tourism Solomons and Tonga Tourism, through to boutique island resorts, family resorts, adults-only properties, self-contained apartment-style accommodation and more specialist products. The Pacific is not one product type. It can be family, romance, diving, culture, history, soft adventure, wellness, luxury, eco-style travel or simply a very good beach holiday.
For agents, the opportunity is to stop thinking of the Pacific as just “somewhere warm nearby” and start using it as a portfolio of different holiday solutions. That is where the sales growth sits.
Many Australian travellers know Fiji well, but may be less familiar with destinations such as Tonga, Niue, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu or the Cook Islands. How can agents confidently introduce clients to the broader South Pacific?
The easiest way is to start with what the client already likes, then match the destination from there. If they love Fiji because of the warmth of the people and the ease of the holiday, that opens the door to Samoa, Tonga, the Cook Islands or Vanuatu. If they are divers, history lovers, surfers, fishers or travellers who want somewhere less commercialised, then Solomon Islands becomes a much stronger conversation. If they want beautiful lagoons and a relaxed island rhythm, the Cook Islands or Tonga may be perfect.
Agents do not need to know every detail of every island on day one. They just need to understand the broad personalities of the destinations. Fiji is familiar and easy. Samoa is deeply cultural and naturally beautiful. Tonga is authentic, gentle and one of the great whale-swimming destinations. The Cook Islands offer beautiful lagoons, strong resort product and a very easy holiday style. Vanuatu gives a great mix of resort, culture and adventure. Solomon Islands is more raw, real and discovery-based. Norfolk Island is close, quirky, historic and different again.
Once agents can explain those differences in simple language, they become much more confident. And confidence is everything. Clients can tell when an agent understands why a destination is right for them.
What are some of the common misconceptions agents or clients have about South Pacific holidays, and how can the trade better position the region beyond the traditional “fly-and-flop” beach break?
The biggest misconception is that the South Pacific is one big beach holiday. Of course, the beaches and lagoons are a huge part of the appeal, and we would be mad not to celebrate them. But the region is so much deeper than that.
Across the Pacific you have living cultures, village life, extraordinary food traditions, WWII history, volcanoes, waterfalls, caves, marine reserves, world-class diving, whale encounters, fishing, surfing, hiking, music, dance, local markets and some of the most welcoming communities anywhere in the world. It is not just about lying beside a pool, although there is certainly nothing wrong with that either.
Another misconception is that all Pacific destinations are interchangeable. They are not. The difference between Rarotonga, Santo, Apia, Nuku’alofa, Honiara, Aitutaki, Norfolk Island or Vava’u is enormous. The trade can help by selling the region with more nuance. Rather than saying “Do you want a Pacific island holiday?”, the better question is, “What kind of Pacific island holiday do you want?”
Through Treasures of the South Pacific, you work closely with national tourism offices, airlines and regional organisations. Why is collaboration so important when promoting the Pacific to the Australian and New Zealand markets?
Collaboration is absolutely critical because no single destination, airline or operator can carry the whole story of the Pacific on its own. The region is made up of many small destinations, each with different budgets, different access points and different levels of trade awareness. When we come together, we create a much stronger voice.
That is really what Treasures of the South Pacific is about. It gives the trade a chance to see the region collectively, while still understanding that every destination has its own identity. It is not about making the Pacific look the same. It is about helping agents understand the differences, the connections and the opportunities.
Airlines, national tourism offices, wholesalers, regional bodies and suppliers all need each other. Air access creates possibility. NTOs create awareness. Wholesalers and agents create distribution. Local operators deliver the experience. When those pieces work together, the whole region benefits.
Air access is always a key factor for South Pacific sales. What should agents be paying attention to when it comes to regional connectivity, gateways and itinerary planning across the islands?
Agents should always start with the gateway and work backwards. In the Pacific, air access often shapes the holiday more than people realise. Some destinations are simple point-to-point holidays, while others require more careful planning around international gateways, domestic flights, boat transfers or specific operating days.
The key is to check schedules, connection times and realistic routing before selling the dream. A beautiful outer island stay can be fantastic, but only if the itinerary has been built properly. That may mean allowing a night at the gateway, avoiding tight connections, understanding luggage limits on smaller aircraft, or making sure clients know that domestic island services may operate differently to major city routes.
I would also encourage agents to look at air access as part of the sales story, not just the logistics. Direct flights, new routes, better connections and regional partnerships can completely change how easy a destination is to sell. In the South Pacific, air access is not just transport — it is often the difference between interest and conversion.
For agents looking to grow their South Pacific business, what product knowledge or training areas should they prioritise first?
First, learn the destination personalities. Agents do not need to memorise every hotel immediately, but they do need to know which destination suits which traveller. That is the foundation.
Second, understand air access and seasonality. Know the gateways, the best connection options, peak periods, weather patterns and any special travel considerations. This helps avoid mismatched expectations and gives clients confidence.
Third, learn the hero experiences. For example, whale swimming in Tonga, lagoon holidays in the Cook Islands, culture and village life in Samoa, diving and WWII history in Solomon Islands, adventure and resort stays in Vanuatu, and the history and character of Norfolk Island. These are the stories that make the sale more compelling.
Finally, agents should keep close to training updates from national tourism offices, wholesalers and specialist representatives. Product changes quickly. The agents who keep learning are the ones who stand out.
The Pacific offers everything from family holidays and romance to diving, culture, soft adventure and expedition-style travel. Which traveller segments do you think present the strongest growth potential for the trade?
I think there are several strong segments. Families remain very important, especially for destinations and resorts that make the holiday easy, safe and good value. Romance and couples travel also remain strong, particularly for adults-only resorts, boutique island escapes and special occasion travel.
But the growth area I find most interesting is the traveller who wants something more meaningful than a standard resort holiday. That might be soft adventure, culture, diving, history, food, community interaction, nature or simply somewhere that feels less manufactured. These travellers do not necessarily want hardship or extreme adventure — they just want a holiday with a stronger sense of place.
There is also a growing market for mature travellers and repeat Pacific visitors who have “done” the more familiar destinations and are ready to go a little deeper. They may have been to Fiji many times and now want Samoa, Tonga, Vanuatu, the Cook Islands, Norfolk Island or Solomon Islands. That is a huge opportunity for good agents because it rewards knowledge and consultation.
Sustainability, community benefit and cultural respect are increasingly important in destination marketing. How can agents help sell the South Pacific in a way that supports local communities and protects the region’s natural and cultural assets?
The first thing agents can do is sell honestly. Not every destination is right for every traveller, and that is perfectly fine. Responsible selling means matching the right client to the right place, so expectations are realistic and the experience is positive for both the visitor and the host community.
Agents can also encourage clients to spend locally — use local guides, eat locally where appropriate, visit markets, book community-based experiences and respect cultural protocols. In many Pacific destinations, tourism dollars flow directly into families and villages, so the way we sell and package holidays really does matter.
It is also important to brief clients properly before they go. Simple things like dress standards in villages, Sunday customs, environmental care, reef-safe behaviour, respecting local traditions and understanding that island time is not always the same as city time can make a big difference.
Sustainability in the Pacific is not just about the environment. It is about culture, community, dignity and making sure tourism grows in a way that local people actually want and benefit from.
Looking ahead, what would you most like the Australian travel trade to understand about the future of South Pacific tourism, and how can agents play a stronger role in driving responsible growth for the region?
I would like the trade to understand that the future of South Pacific tourism should not just be measured by more arrivals. Growth matters, of course, but the right growth matters more. The best outcome is visitors who stay longer, spend locally, travel respectfully and choose destinations that genuinely suit them.
Agents have a much bigger role in that than they sometimes realise. They are not just booking flights and hotels. They are shaping expectations, influencing where people go, how they travel and what they value when they get there. That makes agents incredibly important to the future of the region.
The Pacific has enormous opportunity, but it needs to be sold with knowledge, care and confidence. Technology will continue to change the way people research and book travel, but destination expertise will become even more valuable, not less. The best agents will be the ones who can combine modern tools with old-fashioned knowledge, relationships and storytelling.
That is what the South Pacific deserves. It is not one destination and it is certainly not one type of holiday. It is a region of remarkable differences, and the more the trade understands those differences, the stronger and more responsible the future will be.
You can contact Richard Skewes at info@tosp.com.au and discover more about the Treasures of the South Pacific here.
