The Vanuatu Tourism Office (VTO) is proud to present our first-ever Vanuatu Volcano Run. The inaugural event will take place Saturday, October 2 on Mt Yasur, Tanna, and the event’s slogan is ‘Taf Bitim Faea’.
The inaugural edition will have runners testing themselves from sea to the summit in east Tanna Island. This amazing sporting event is the result of the work VTO has been doing since the pandemic began to help tourism businesses affected by the absence of international visitors.
VTO has helped tourism businesses around the country to maintain their marketing skills through this difficult time in order to prepare for the eventual return of international tourists. At the same time, VTO’s #SapotemLokolTurisim campaign has also helped to foster hope by encouraging domestic tourists to find holiday adventures within Vanuatu. Last year, during a visit to Tanna, the VTO team witnessed how Tanna’s normally flourishing tourism businesses were hurting. In east Tanna, tourism business owners are now relying on subsistence farming to survive. In response, the VTO team set out to create a new sporting event that combines Mt Yasur Volcano, sports, tourism, and culture in a way that helps tourism businesses maintain their skills and interest ready for the time when Vanuatu can safely welcome international visitors back again. Importantly, the Vanuatu Volcano Run is also an opportunity for tourism businesses to earn some income. A total of 140 runners will take part in this year’s run. Vanuatu’s best runners will travel to the event from every province, and will join 48 male and female runners from Tanna. Runners who take part will also be going up against some of Vanuatu’s finest athletes including those who have represented the nation in domestic and international competitions.
This exciting event is the first ever of its kind in Vanuatu and not only allows competitors to test their determination — it also gives them the opportunity to experience the stunning scenery and tourism attractions of this part of Tanna. The Vanuatu Volcano Run will be held every year on a different one of the country’s volcanoes. VTO expects that the Vanuatu Volcano Run will become an important sporting event on the national calendar that will attract runners from every province. When Vanuatu is eventually able to safely reopen its borders, VTO wants the Vanuatu Volcano Run to be a part of the international calendar of elite running events that will attract teams of athletes from all over the world. By creating a world-class competition, the Vanuatu Volcano Run will put Vanuatu on the competitive running map, building awareness of Vanuatu as an adventure tourism destination, and attracting high-spending visitors to come to Vanuatu and its outer islands.
For those not able to be there in person, the event will be live streamed by VBTC on Television Blong Vanuatu and on VBTC’s Facebook page. Viewers across the Pacific Islands region will be able to view VBTC’s coverage of the event live on Pasifika TV in English or Canal Plus in New Caledonia in French. VTO would like to acknowledge all of our event partners and sponsors who are making this event possible, and thanks them for their generous support: Air Vanuatu, Entani Company Ltd, Vanuatu Skills Partnership, Sun Productions Ltd, Promedical, Vanuatu Brewing Ltd, Vodafone Vanuatu and VBTC.