The owner of a tourist accommodation in Tonga says it's great that cruise ships will soon dock in a more attractive setting in the centre of Nuku'alofa.
The government is to spend 32 US million dollars to reconstruct the capital's wharf in a bid to attract more cruise ships there.
Currently cruise ships coming in to Nuku'alofa share the same wharf as the cargo ships, but is to be relocated to Vuna wharf, near the royal palace and in the centre of town.
Owner of Blue Banana Beach Houses and a tourist shop in Nuku'alofa, Chris Egan, says locals and tourists will benefit from the move.
"The cruise ships at the moment pull up at our main wharf and this big cargo area and local ferries and it's not a very attractive area for people to arrive. Bringing it up to the main street might be really nice. They can get off and walk through the town and it might encourage more cafes and places to eat and shop and we always welcome the cruise ships but they're few and far between and I think if they get off in the main street we might be really able to reach them a bit better."
Owner of Blue Banana Beach Houses, Chris Egan.
The Vuna wharf is to be completed in 2011.
