Promoting Investment in Tourism in Espiritu Santo, Vanuatu

Project Scope

Horwath HTL Australia was engaged by the International Finance Corporation (IFC, World Bank Group) to undertake a comprehensive tourism investment analysis and promotion program for Espiritu Santo. The project aimed to identify priority tourism sites, define commercially viable development opportunities and provide the tools required to present these opportunities to prospective regional and international investors.

The engagement commenced with a detailed review of Vanuatu’s tourism market, including visitor trends, source markets, seasonality, aviation access, visitor characteristics, tourism assets, accommodation supply and supporting infrastructure. This research was complemented by in-market site inspections and consultations with government agencies, tourism organisations, accommodation providers, tour operators and other key stakeholders in Espiritu Santo and Port Vila.

Horwath HTL developed a tailored assessment methodology to evaluate ten potential tourism investment sites. Each site was assessed against factors including market potential, accessibility, surrounding tourism assets, infrastructure readiness, development constraints and alignment with sustainable development principles. This process supported the identification of five preferred sites with the strongest potential for investment attraction.

Pre-feasibility analysis was undertaken for each preferred site, including an assessment of the surrounding accommodation market, potential market gaps, recommended facilities, development positioning and required supporting infrastructure. These findings were translated into investor-focused information packages presenting the attributes, development potential and initial value proposition of each opportunity.

To support the investment promotion process, Horwath HTL also identified and profiled prospective hotel owners, operators, property developers, institutional investors and other investment groups with relevant experience in the Pacific and Asia-Pacific regions. Potential investors were prioritised according to their investment activity, financial capacity, hotel and tourism development experience, regional presence and potential appetite for opportunities in Vanuatu.

The final stage of the engagement involved the preparation of a market engagement strategy and action plan to guide investor outreach. This included recommendations for promoting the preferred sites, engaging shortlisted investors and coordinating government and IFC initiatives required to improve investment readiness. The completed work provides Vanuatu’s tourism stakeholders with a structured pathway for bringing priority opportunities to market, attracting suitable investment partners and supporting sustainable tourism growth in Espiritu Santo.

Project Location

Espiritu Santo, Vanuatu