Legendary Pitcairn Island ISSUE O1 AUG 2011 Pitcairn Islands Tourism Quarterly PDT Newsletter Sustainable Island Heritage Tourism What this means for Pitcairn Island The principles of sustainable Island heritage tourism refer to the environmental, economic and sociocultural aspects of tourism development no matter where in the world it occurs. Establishing a balance between these 3 aspects is necessary to ensuring that Pitcairn’s Tourism industry is built for long term sustainability. The newly formed Pitcairn Islands Tourism Department is committed to making optimal use of the islands’ environmental resources whilst conserving it natural heritage, unique biodiversity and the socio-cultural authenticity of the Legendary Pitcairn Island community. Home to the Descendants of the HMAV Bounty Mutineers A NEW TOURISM DEPARTMENT FOR THE PITCAIRN ISLANDS Recently appointed Pitcairn Island Tourism Coordinator: Heather Menzies. In December last year the Government of Pitcairn Islands established its new Tourism Department. Previously Pitcairn tourism initiatives were managed by a voluntary group known as The Pitcairn Islands Tourism Board. Informed by the World Tourism Organisation’s principles of Sustainable Island Heritage Tourism, the Tourism Board, in existence for some 5 years, laid the cornerstones for the continued growth of the industry and the new department. Having recently finalised its strategic objectives for next few years, the small, busy Tourism Department is now ready to focus on delivering a structured, streamlined and sustainable approach to tourism development so as to gradually build increased demand for services whilst creating employment and local business opportunities. Tourism Department Coordinator, Heather Menzies sees tourism playing a vital role In Pitcairn’s future, stimulating greater self-sufficiency and increasing private enterprise development and income. The new department is committed to managing growth carefully. this issue What’s PDT Working on P.3P. 1 Tourism on Pitcairn Getting to Pitcairn Island P. 2 Pitcairn Islands Expo in NZ Events andP. 3 Pitcairn? I’ve Been there! P. 4 First time Visit for P&Os Aurora P. 5 A Wedding Ceremony like No Other P. 6 Social and environmental conservation will always go hand in hand with tourism development on Pitcairn - so as to ensure that everyone, including future generations, will continue to benefit. “Pitcairn is in a great position at the moment. We’re not motivated by the needs of mass tourism. We can take our time to do things properly and get tourism right. With the right intention, local and international consultation and research we can optimise the experience of very visitor to help shape the future course of Pitcairn’s tourism industry.” Heather is proud to represent Pitcairn Tourism. “Pitcairn Island offers a truly memorable holiday destination for adventurous travelers wanting to experience authentic, incredibly friendly hospitality, undeniable tranquility and natural beauty. We’re committed to developing a high level of tourism satisfaction and meaningful experiences for our visitors.” Welcome to Pitcairn Island’s first Tourism Quarterly. We’re building our data base - tell your friends to contact [email protected] for their FREE subscription Getting to Pitcairn Island You will first start your journey flying from your homeland via Auckland, Los Angeles or Tokyo to Tahiti in French Polynesia. Once you arrive in Tahiti, you will likely spend a few nights in a hotel or pension until you board the Air Tahiti Tuesday flight from Tahiti to Mangareva in the Gambier Islands. Air Tahiti is the only airline flying to Mangareva so you need to make sure you can book your flight before contacting our booking office to secure your passage on the Claymore II. On arrival in Mangareva, just 300 miles west-north-west of Pitcairn Island, you will take the short ferry ride from the airport to Rikitea village to board the MV Claymore II, assisted by the crew and readying yourself for your final 32 hour ocean crossing to Pitcairn. To make enquiries about flight availability contact: Judy Robinson at Atlas Limited Ph: DD +64 9 302-8464, Ph. + 64 9 3091900. Email: [email protected] To make enquiries about booking your passage contact Shirley Dillon at the Pitcairn Islands Office Ph: +64 9 366 0186 Email: [email protected] ABOUT PITCAIRN’S DEDICATED CARGO/PASSENGER VESSEL THE MV CLAYMORE II Pitcairn’s isolation is in itself a real enticement for many travelers. This and the fact that we don’t have an airport make getting here an integral part of the Pitcairn experience. Our dedicated cargo/passenger vessel MV Claymore II provides the island’s regular passenger shipping service, offering travelers all that they need for a safe and comfortable voyage to the home of the descendants of the Bounty Mutineers - Legendary Pitcairn Island. The Claymore II carries supplies and passengers to the island every 3 months and Stoney Creek Shipping Ltd, the owners of the Claymore II, occasionally add private charters to those scheduled when either the Claymore or their second ship, RV Braveheart, are in the area. The Claymore accommodates 12 passengers in private twin share cabins on the lower deck. Guests have their own dinning and lounge area on Deck 3, with plenty of books and movies and a flat screen television to help pass the time. Snacks and beverages are provided in the shared break room, close to the galley. Bedding and towels are supplied and if you like a drink after dinner it’s BYO. The regular passenger service offers visitors a stay of either: 3, 7 or 10 days on Pitcairn and all voyages a timed to connect with flights to and from Tahiti. 2011 - SPRING VOYAGE SPECIAL 7 DAYS ON OFFFER PITCAIRN ISLAND PRIVATE CHARTER Join the Claymore II in Mangareva Sept 13th Arrive Pitcairn - September 15th Depart Pitcairn - September 21st Arrive Mangareva – September 23rd/24th in time for Saturday flight to Tahiti Contact Pitcairn Islands Tourism for More Information: [email protected] PITCAIRN ISLAND EXPO AT THE BRITISH HIGH COMMISSION’S RESIDENCE – HOMEWOOD, IN WELLINGTON NEW ZEALAND On Friday 10th June a unique 2 hour event was held at the British High Commissions Residence – Homewood in Wellington New Zealand to showcase Pitcairn Island’s art & culture, trade and tourism Homewood, the British High Commissions residence in Wellington , New Zealand Homewood - Henry Samuel Chapman (1803-1881), the first judge of the Supreme Court for the Southern Division of New Zealand brought 118 acres in Karori, Wellington in 1844. Homewood the first portion of which he designed in 1847 stands on a residual 2 acres of this land. Noticeable features are the tower, porte cochere and bays, with crenellations; hall, staircase and interior finishing. We will be using the hallway, music and gallery rooms for the event. The event coincided with Te Papa’s Maori & Pacific Textile Symposium where Pitcairn artist, Meralda Warren, was the key note speaker. The Pitcairn Philatelic Bureau was present with a colourful display of current and archived issues, impressive coin collections and gift items and traditional Pitcairn food, prepared by Pitcairners, resident in New Zealand, was also showcased. Any focus on Pitcairn Island would not be complete without the delicious Pitcairn Honey. The islands isolated location means its bee population is disease free. Pollen collected from the abundant mango, passion flower, guava, lata and roseapple flowers produces a tropical, fruity tasting honey which has been praised by Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall and sold in Fortnum & Mason and Partridges in London. Meralda has devoted herself in recent years to ensuring the art of tapa making, practiced by her Polynesian and Pitcairn ancestors, does not die out on Pitcairn. The Homewood event included two of Meralda’s beautiful tapa works featuring scenes of the historic HMAV Bounty. At Te Papa and Homewood Meralda told her story of how she became interested in tapa making and explain the process involved in producing her works. Over 70 invited guests from across the business and travel sector attended the entirely well received exhibition and a further event is proposed for Auckland, via the Pitcairn Islands office. Other handicrafts and Pitcairn products on display and for sale on the night included wood carvings, HMAV Bounty and longboats models, dolphins, turtles, sharks, platters and bowls, basket weaving, jewellery and cookbooks. Don’t leave it a moment longer! Experience the Legend PITCAIRN ISLAND Call now to book your voyage: +64 9 366 0186 Email: [email protected]. Send Us Your Pitcairn Story & Join Pitcairn’s IBT Club For Free Pitcairn Island? I’ve Been There! We hear from many people who have made the journey to Legendary Pitcairn Island that it is the fulfillment of a lifelong ambition. Whether it’s the island’s natural beauty, its revitalising tranquility, its remarkable people or its fascinating history, Pitcairn Island is, a place like no other. It is this that makes each visitor’s Pitcairn story so wonderfully unique. So, if you’re one of those who have made your dream come true – we want to hear about it so we can share it with our readers. We’ll publish your Pitcairn story in our quarterly IBT Column and you’ll join the ranks of those who can say, “Pitcairn Island… I’ve Been There.” Our First IBT story comes from Australian Television Producer, Mick O’Donnell As dawn came up, so did our island destination, Pitcairn, looming out of the indigo sea. This fabled place we'd heard so much about was finally within reach. Our team of four from Australia's Seven Network, was out here in the distant Pacific to film a feature report on the island's future. Could a community, whose permanent numbers are only in the 50s, survive in the 21st Century? As the motor vessel Braveheart anchored several hundred meters from the island's rocky shore, one of Pitcairn's famous longboats was roaring out from Bounty Bay to meet us. And there in the smiles and reaching arms of the Pitcairners seemed to be the answer. There is something hearty and warm in a Pitcairn welcome which seems to be remembered by all who visit this two square-mile rock, solitary as it is between French Polynesia and South America. And, three days on the island continued to tell that story. If this British dependency were not to continue it certainly wouldn't be for want of effort and enthusiasm on the part of today's islanders. Most are descendants of the original Bounty mutineers and the tough Tahitian women who ensured the survival of this exile micro-nation over 200 years ago. The island has been evacuated in the past - leading to the large Pitcairn mob on Norfolk - but some came back. Pitcairners have always been determined to make this place live on as more than just a romantic notion of the past. During our too-brief stay, the islanders were hard at work carving souvenirs and collecting honey for the last of this year's cruise ships to pull up offshore. Olive and Steve Christian were hosting one of their Friday night dinners at Christian's Cafe, with the sweetest and cheapest lobster you'd find anywhere. Just off the landing in Bounty Bay we snorkeled in crystal blue water on the remnants of the Bounty wreck and the nearby Cornwallis. And for sheer fun and a sense of the island's many startling vistas and historical spots we took a safari of four quad bikes around what is aptly known as the biggest little island in the world. With local guides, we ventured from the village of Adamstown to the extraordinary natural bathing enclosure of St Paul's Pool and on to the mystical Highest Point. There, the signposts tell the tale of distance. More than 7000km home to Sydney. And distance is both Pitcairn's allure and its tyranny. It costs a fortune to send the island's honey - purest in the world - to customers around the globe. It costs plenty for adventure travellers to make it here. But, as the international yachties visiting when we did found, the welcome and the mystery of the place make it worth the journey. Christel, a young French Canadian sailor told us many yachties on the Easter IslandTahiti route bypass because of the lack of a permanent anchorage. But she and her friends were delighted they stopped in - for help with their damaged mast but especially for the generous hospitality of the Pitcairn families. The smiles of the island's ten kids offer the best hope the island will have a future for generations to come. They showed us how to swing in the banyan trees and to talk a little Pitkern. Sound recordist Matt was rescued by the pastor with a lead for his mike when his gear was lost in transit. Cameraman Gary Russell found a matching big smile and chrome dome in Pirate Pawl. Reporter Ross Coulthart is still on a diet after building up his strength on Olive's cooking. And I'm missing the peace of Leslie and Jacqui's deck with the spirit of Fletcher Christian looking down from Christian's Cave. Like all who come to Pitcairn, the place is under my skin and I'm just wondering when I'll make it back. Thanks indeed from the four of us to all the people of Pitcairn. Mick O'Donnell The Seven Network's Sunday Night program will air the Pitcairn special around Australia in coming months. CRUISE SHIP THE AURORA First Time Visitors to PITCAIRN ISLAND Stopping at Pitcairn Island is a highlight for many international cruise ship passengers. When passengers can’t get ashore, Pitcairn comes to you! P&O’s Cruise ship, ‘The Aurora’ visited Pitcairn for the first time on Feb 14th 2011. Within a few brief hours her 1700 passengers got to sample Pitcairn hospitality when the virtually the whole community turned out to setup a Pitcairn Island Curio & Craft market on board. Local officials, market traders and crew raced for time as they hurried to get the market up and running for guest – all within the brief couple of hours the Captain had allocated to circumnavigate the island. A Wedding Destination Like No Other… Pitcairn’s Seventh Day Adventist Church Pitcairn Island is one of the most wonderfully remote islands in the world. If you’re dreaming of planning a ceremony with a real difference get in touch and we’ll help you make your big event truly unforgettable. Email: [email protected] NORWAY’S FIRST PITCAIRN ISLAND EXPEDITION TOUR Norwegian tour company OrkideEkspressen has created the trip of a life time for 12 adventurist Norwegian travellers. OrkideEkspressen, in association with the Pitcairn Islands Office and Pitcairn Islands Tourism have coordinated Norway’s first ever group expedition to Pitcairn, scheduled to visit the island for 10 days on the Claymore II in December 2011. Promoted throughout the region’s travel trade shows the expedition offer generated a good deal of media coverage and proved to be so popular that a second tour has been booked for 2012. For more information contact: Bjørn Erik at OrkideEkspressen Email: [email protected] TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT PITCAIRN ISLANDS TOURISM Contact: Heather Menzies: Pitcairn Islands Tourism Coordinator phone; + 649 984 0136 Email: [email protected] Shirley Dillon: PIO Auckland New Zealand: Phone +649 3660186 Email: [email protected]
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