5 Things Norfolk Island Could Immediately Do To Become More Tourist Friendly

None of these ideas are new and this is certainly not a comprehensive list but only shows how easy small changes can be and what a great impact they can have.

1. Diversify and update it's tours. Norfolk has many great tours and some not so great. Some of the tours are a bit lazy i.e. more authentic costumes and better acting are required . There are many more examples of laziness that should be corrected for a more demanding tourist who expect more for their money. Ipod tours are a great leap forward, but there are also many gaps in potential tours that could be offered e.g. a range of walking tours, lamplight tours.

2. Mall the main street. Radical? yes. Traffic issues? maybe. But think of all tourist towns that are worth their salt and they have little malls in the middle of the village. It adds character, creates a relaxed atmosphere that shows the tourists that they come first (this one could probably wait until we are flush again).

3. More Art. Where are the murals, wood carvings and other interesting cultural installations around the island. Sure there are a couple of things in the Queen Vic Gardens and one on Taylor's Rd, but it could be much more interesting with a little bit of effort. Who hasn't been to the Ice Fields National Park in Canada and haven't marvelled at all of the totem poles in the small towns. Tourists stand by them and have their pictures taken in droves. Art in the Park is a great idea once a year in a very small area but this could be expanded on.

4. A friendly meet and greet at the airport for all tourists. It could be one guy playing a banjo or a group of volunteers just saying hello or dancing girls....whatever.

5. Smarter shopping hours. I'm not talking about staying open all of the time, but what about when the tourist planes come in. Currently hungry tourists arriving at their accommodation after 2pm can't get hot food anywhere. Tourists who arrive on a Sunday can't buy (legally) any alcohol. This is simply unacceptable in any tourism destination simply because it shows the tourists that they aren't our priority.