A small kingdom. BIG results.
Tomahawk has been named a finalist in the 2026 SKIFT IDEA Awards for the Industry Innovators Award - Tourism category for our work transforming Tonga's tourism brand.
We are proud to be the first New Zealand agency to be named a finalist in the SKIFT Industry Innovators Awards which is one of the world's leading recognition for innovation in travel and tourism.
But this story isn't really about an award.
It's about what can happen when a destination listens to its people, builds its brand from its culture and dares to tell a bigger story.
Winner announced 26 August 2026.
How do you reinvent a nation's tourism brand that the whole nation can adopt and be proud of?
That was the challenge. Tonga had an opportunity to reposition itself and differentiate them from their neighbouring South Island nations. Rather than beginning with what visitors want from Tonga, we began with the fundamental question:
What makes Tonga, Tonga? Tomahawk partnered with Tonga Tourism to uncover the truth behind the destination, engaging hundreds of people across the Kingdom to understand how Tongans saw their country, their culture and their place in the global tourism landscape.
The result was a new tourism brand built from the inside out.
We started by listening.
The strategy was grounded in one of the most extensive research programmes in Tonga:
- 2,000 international people participated in a quantitative survey
- 5,497 qualitative responses to an online survey
PLUS!
- 15 in person ½ day workshops in Tonga
- 400+ workshop participants across 4 Tongan islands
- 19 one-on-one interviews with government and church leaders, community elders, local families, and representatives of the Royal Family, including the Crown Princess.
We went to the people who know Tonga best. Its people.
Four golden pillars became the foundation.
Through the research and workshops, four golden pillars known in Tongan as “Fa Kavei Koula“ emerged as central to the Tongan way of life. These pillars became the focus underpinning Tonga's new tourism brand.
Faka'apa'apa (Respect)
Honouring people, culture and place.
Anga fakatokilalo/Lototo (Humility)
Putting people and relationships ahead of ego.
Tauhi vaha'a / Va (Maintaining Relationships)
The strength of connection between people, communities and visitors.
Mamahi'i me'a (Loyalty and Passion)
A deep commitment to family, community and country.
From a tourism brand to a tourism story.
The work moved beyond a new logo or visual identity.
We developed a clearer, more distinctive story for Tonga, one rooted in its culture and designed to give the destination greater relevance in an increasingly competitive global tourism market.
Research → Insight → Strategy → Brand → Experience → Results
The new identity gave Tonga Tourism a platform to communicate consistently across markets and channels, while creating a stronger connection between what Tonga is and what travellers are looking for.
The Results
It was identified that Tonga's greatest strength is how it makes people feel. This insight became the foundation for a new national platform:
Kingdom of Tonga. The Friendly Islands.
Not as a slogan, but as an authentic expression of the culture, and human connection that defines Tonga. The new brand and initial marketing strategy delivered measurable growth across key tourism indicators.
Digital Performance
- Website users increased 178%
- Page views increased 165%
- Organic traffic increased 46%
- User engagement increased 53%
- Completed contact forms increased 890%
Social Growth
The new brand has generated strong audience growth across every major platform:
- Facebook followers increased 17%
- Instagram followers increased 127%
- TikTok followers increased 194%
Commercial Impact
It is delivering measurable value for Tonga's tourism industry. Within seven months:
- More than 1,800 outbound referrals were sent directly to tourism operator websites.
- *Agent bookings increased 63.8%
- *Agent booking value increased 103.5%
*Results from Trip Carver
