Vanuatu Tourism Office (VTO) has launched its latest consumer marketing campaign, Vanuatu Uncovered – described as its most personal yet, taking Australians inside real stories told by the Ni-Vanuatu people who live the culture every day.
Running until 21 November, the campaign will roll out across social channels including Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and YouTube, supported by owned content on VTO’s website, social channels and EDMs. It is expected to reach seven million Australians.
All campaign touchpoints direct consumers to vanuatu.travel/answerthecall, where travellers can explore the stories of Vanuatu culture and custom.
The campaign sits under the Answer the Call of Vanuatu brand, which launched in 2019 and has spotlighted the destination’s “life-changing adventure” offering. This latest chapter marks a deliberate shift – for the first time, VTO has turned the lens on the Ni-Vanuatu people themselves, capturing customs, sounds and traditions as they’re lived day to day, rather than presented for visitors. It moves the brand from awareness to intent – from Australians knowing Vanuatu exists to understanding what awaits them there.
Filmed across Efate, Espiritu Santo and Tanna, the campaign unfolds across five episodes, each built around a story VTO says most Australians have never had the chance to see:
- The Water Music – at Riri Blue Hole in Espiritu Santo, women perform the ancient art of water music, slapping and splashing the surface to create rhythm and song passed down through generations.
- The Living Mountain – on Tanna, Philip stands at the edge of Mount Yasur, one of the world’s most accessible active volcanoes, describing it as his “university” and a peak that remains sacred to local communities.
- The Sound of Community – in Espiritu Santo’s Ransuck Cultural Village, daily life, kastom and connection play out much as they have for generations.
- One Tree, One Canoe – in Port Olry, Sandy’s canoe is carved from a single tree trunk, a tradition reflecting patience, skill and a deep relationship with nature and land.
- Our Living Culture – in Port Vila, sand drawing and basket weaving reveal storytelling traditions still taught and practised across Efate today.
Immersive experiences
VTO CEO Adela Issachar Aru said the campaign responds to research showing Australians travel to understand culture and immersive experiences.
“In Vanuatu we have incredible unbroken cultural traditions that are unique to Vanuatu, passed from generation to generation, such as water music and elaborate sand drawing,” Issachar Aru said.
“Across our 83 islands you can experience so much – from standing beside the fire and thunder of Mount Yasur volcano to witnessing the ocean become an orchestra as our women and girls share tales through water music. We know our culture is one of the richest remaining on earth, and with this latest campaign we hope to give you a taste of it and invite you to Answer the Call of Vanuatu.
“Travelling to Vanuatu is an enriching experience, and we hope the stories we are sharing give you a sense of what it’s like to walk alongside us. We are just three hours’ flight from Australia, but we invite you to discover so much.”
Vanuatu is served by four international airlines from Australia: Qantas, Virgin Australia, Solomon Airlines and Jetstar.
