Sydney, Australia / Port Vila, Vanuatu – Vanuatu exporters represent a robust and growing business landscape that is increasingly international, embracing technology, and continuing to build resilience for the specific challenges it faces.
The Pacific Islands Export Survey 2026 – Vanuatu Spotlight is one of several companion reports developed from the main Pacific Islands Export Survey 2026, published by the Pacific Trade Invest (PTI) Network. While the regional survey provides an overview of export trends across the Pacific, the Vanuatu spotlight takes a closer look at country-specific exporter performance, market priorities and challenges.
Pacific Trade Invest Australia Trade Commissioner, Mr. Tim Martin said the findings showed a robust and resilient export sector focussed on international markets.
“Vanuatu exporters are leading the region when it comes to growth, reporting increased revenue at a rate of over double the Pacific average during the last twelve months,” Mr. Martin said.
"This performance is bolstered by an optimistic outlook, with Vanuatu exporters expecting growth to continue and reporting the highest confidence reading of any country in the survey."
“However, the current logistics constraints being experienced by Vanuatu exporters are a concern. Addressing this will be important for businesses to continue competing, especially throughout international markets.”
The Spotlight shows that logistics and supply chain barriers are the most cited challenge for Vanuatu exporters, ahead of high operating costs and access to finance. This contrasts with the broader Pacific trend, where logistics ranks lower among exporter concerns, highlighting the unique operating environment faced by businesses in Vanuatu.
Another key challenge is extreme weather, with more than three quarters of exporters reporting impacts in the past year, the highest rate of any country in the survey. Vanuatu's position in an active cyclone corridor, coupled with the impacts of the 2024 earthquake, highlights the significant impact extreme weather events play in the country's business environment. Understanding what this means for the future of Vanuatu businesses will help exporters and policy makers plan and target support going forward.
Despite these challenges, Vanuatu exporters continue to demonstrate strong international market performance, with 43 per cent generating more than three quarters of their income from international sales, the highest rate of any country in the survey.
Vanuatu Ministry of Trade and Commerce Director General, Noah Patrick Kouback said Vanuatu businesses have much to be proud of and much to leverage.
“Trade is the engine of our economy and the pride of our people. Vanuatu recorded the strongest export performance to other countries in this survey, with more of our businesses growing their revenue, and more expecting further growth, than anywhere else in the Pacific.”
“Our exporters are among the quickest in the Pacific to adopt new technology and are currently trading under existing regional trade Agreements in numbers well above the regional average. Vanuatu’s exporters have shown they can compete with the best.”
Australia remains Vanuatu’s largest export market, followed by New Zealand and France. France’s share of international exports is more than double the Pacific average, reflecting Vanuatu’s historical ties and representing a distinctive commercial axis.
The US is the leading new market target for Vanuatu exporters over the next three years, reflecting a broader Pacific trend towards market diversification.
Digital channels continue to grow, in line with Pacific-wide trends, with 84 per cent of Vanuatu exporters generating revenue online, primarily through social media. Nearly half of all Vanuatu exporters use AI tools, above the Pacific average of 38 per cent, with almost three quarters expecting AI to improve financial performance over the next three years.
The Vanuatu Spotlight findings point to a growing, internationally focused export sector that is embracing digital technology while continuing to build resilience to the challenges ahead.
The Vanuatu Spotlight is part of PTI’s broader Pacific Islands Export Survey 2026 series, with the Main Report and Highlights Report now available. The Spotlights Reports cover Tourism, Agriculture and Manufacturing sectors, as well as country-specific ones for Vanuatu and Fiji. This expanded reporting programme has been developed in response to growing demand for more targeted market and sector analysis to help guide investment, policy and business decisions across the Pacific.