17 May 2010

New sealed tarmac runway opened on Vanuatu's Ambae

7:27 pm on 17 May 2010

The first ever tar-sealed runway on Ambae Island in Vanuatu has been opened.

The new tarmac adds to the two exisiting grass runways at Longana Airport on north-east of Ambae.

Our correspondent Len Garae, who is from Ambae Island, says the project was financed through the Millennium Challenge Fund.

He says flights are always busy between Longana Airport and Port Vila and Luganville and the additional runway will cater for larger aircraft.

"The benefit is that people from the island are able to send parcels; or rather people who work in the two towns send in money to support their families back home in Ambae, and they in turn send fresh produce from their gardens, as well as cooked food to their loved ones."

Len Garae says the new runway may attract more foreign tourists to Ambae.