HIES 2026–2027 Fieldwork In Progress
NEWS
Update On HIES Fieldwork Progress
Enumeration for the 2026–2027 Household Income and Expenditure Survey (HIES) is nearing the halfway mark with data collection well underway across all six provinces and the urban centres of Port Vila and Luganville. As of the end of August, all field teams have completed 15 of the survey's 32 rounds.
To date, over 2,400 household interviews have been completed, representing 46% of the survey target of 5,280 households — closely in line with the survey timeline that has now lapsed. Of these, over 2,200 interviews have been reviewed and approved by VBoS headquarters following quality checks, representing 43% of the target.
Field teams continue to work through the remaining rounds, with headquarters review and data quality processes running alongside ongoing enumeration. The data collected through HIES will remain central to updating key economic statistics, including the rebasing of National Accounts and the Consumer Price Index (CPI), as well as supporting analysis of wellbeing, poverty and inequality by development partners including the World Bank. The last HIES was conducted in 2019–2020.
LATEST RELEASES
International Visitors & Resident Arrivals (IVA)
June 2026
Vanuatu recorded 11,183 international visitor arrivals by air in June 2026, up 34% compared with June 2025 and 25% from the previous month. Holiday visitors accounted for 79% of all air visitors, while Australia remained the leading source market at 63%. Two cruise ships brought 6,661 day visitors. Visitors stayed an average of 8 days, with an average age of 40 years.
International Merchandise Trade Statistics (IMTS)
May 2026
Vanuatu's International Merchandise Trade Statistics for May 2026 recorded a trade deficit of VT 1,829 million with major partner countries. Major exports were led by kava at VT 467 million and copra at VT 197 million, while the top five principal imports totalled VT 260 million. Trade under the Melanesian Spearhead Group agreement totalled VT 340 million, comprising VT 241 million in exports and VT 99 million in imports.
Market Survey
March 2026
The Port Vila Central Market Survey for the March quarter 2026 recorded an overall 37% decrease in commodity supply, while prices increased by 27% compared with the previous quarter. The value of commodities also decreased by 37%, with an average of 183 sellers recorded during the quarter.
Consumer Price Index (CPI)
MARCH QUARTER 2026
The Consumer Price Index (CPI) for the March quarter of 2026 increased by 0.6% compared with the previous quarter. The main contributors were Health (+13.3%), Education (+7.6%), Recreation (+3.7%), Miscellaneous (+3.5%), Household Supplies (+1.9%) and Drinks & Tobacco (+1.3%). Compared with the March quarter of 2025, the Vanuatu CPI increased by 1.0%.