Vanuatu is to receive its first cruise ship visit from China in January with 2000 thousand tourists on board.
The deputy prime minister and tourism minister Joe Natuman is visiting China and told his hosts cruise tourism is the biggest development industry in the South Pacific.
The Vanuatu Daily Post reports Mr Natuman said Vanuatu is gearing up to benefit from the industry with the completion next year of the Lapetasi international wharf in Port Vila.
He said the Chinese-built Luganville wharf would be the longest such facility in the Pacific when it is completed, also next year.
Both wharves are expected to be able to accommodate two cruise liners each.
Mr Natuman is leading a delegation of 14 MPs to China.