Vanuatu's tourism operators had their hopes set on a bumper summer before Tuesday's deadly magnitude-7.3 earthquake struck Port Vila.
After two years of setbacks — including three major cyclones and the collapse of the national airline — the nation's travel industry appeared to have turned a corner.
Emergency services are now trying to recover people from collapsed buildings and a landslide around Port Vila, and authorities are scrambling to reconnect electricity, water and telecommunications.
But business owners say when the country is ready for their return, Australian tourists will play a major role in Vanuatu's post-earthquake recovery.
Iririki Resort co-owner Brendon Deeley is hoping for a post-Christmas return for tourism, once essential services are restored.
Mr Deeley said the earthquake appeared to have left Vanuatu's tourism infrastructure largely undamaged.
At his own resort offshore from Port Vila, the destruction was confined to some broken windows.
The resort, deemed safe by engineers after the quake, is now looking after guests and has electricity available on about three-quarters of the property via its solar system.
"We do have a lot of guests onsite at the moment and our teams are doing everything we can to make sure that the rest of their stays are as enjoyable as possible," Mr Deeley said.
Another popular resort near Port Vila, Erakor Island Resort, posted to social media on Wednesday reporting its guests were safe and staying across the lagoon at another resort, Warwick Le Lagon.
Fatumaru Lodge, on the city's Fatumaru Bay, reportedly sustained no major damage, while in the centre of Port Vila, the landmark multi-storey Grand Hotel has reportedly been evacuated of guests.
The earthquake has put a temporary stop to commercial flights to Vanuatu, but airlines are working with the Australian government on repatriating Australians.
Port Vila's international airport yesterday was closed to international commercial flights for 72 hours. It will allow only relief and medevac flights to land and will carry out repairs needed on the terminal building.
If those are completed in 72 hours, Airports Vanuatu CEO Jason Rakau says commercial flights will be allowed to recommence.
Airlines connecting Vanuatu to Australia, including Qantas, Jetstar and Virgin Airlines, have paused services to and from Port Vila after the earthquake.
Virgin Australia is cancelling outbound flights from Australia to Port Vila until Sunday, and has repatriation flights on stand-by.
"We are working with the relevant authorities to be ready to support guests to travel home as soon as possible," a spokesperson said.
A Qantas Group spokesperson said Qantas and Jetstar were closely monitoring the situation in Vanuatu and neither airline had aircraft in Port Vila.
"Both airlines continue to monitor the situation closely so that we can resume operations as soon as possible and help bring Australians home," the spokesperson said.
Australia's Smartraveller website has advised travellers to exercise their normal precautions, and has warned Vanuatu's essential services remain disrupted.
'We will appreciate it'
As tourism businesses clean up after the earthquake, they are hoping the disaster will not lead to a prolonged downturn in tourism.
They say Australian visitors will help the economic recovery in a country where an estimated 36 per cent of GDP and 22,900 jobs come in some way from tourism.
Vanuatu Business Resilience Council chairperson Glen Craig yesterday urged Australians not to cancel their holidays there.
"We don't need an economic disaster after having this," he said.
"And whilst we don't want to seem insensitive about it, we need to, we want to, make sure that in a few days, we've still got those people that wanted to come on holiday and experience Vanuatu."
Mr Deeley said once the country was ready after Christmas, Australians going on holiday in Vanuatu would help the country's post-disaster economic recovery.
"The best thing that people can do is to actually come to Vanuatu because if they don't come then the money doesn't flow into the people's hands," he said.
Albert Solomon Peter, who operates tourism business Lelepa Island Day Tours, said the earthquake would impact tourism income that allowed families to pay school fees.
But he said the earthquake would not change Vanuatu's lifestyle and culture — two of its drawcards for international visitors.
"We live in a challenging time with natural disasters," he said.
"We must have a clear understanding that every accommodation in Port Vila is safe, all water systems are up and running and safe.
"Then all tourists can come back to Vanuatu in a way that can build up our tourism revenue.
"We will really appreciate it if tourists start to come back."
