The few days recovery break issued by Government to public officers had allowed Honiara-based residents to travel to their home villages over the past days to spend their Christmas and New year celebration.
Because of this high peak traveling period, the demand for shipping and airlines services to the provinces during this festive season remains high.
Over the past days there have been notable increase of people traveling to their villages to spend time with their loved ones and family members.
The Choiseul and Western Provinces are two of the regions that continue to see demand for traveling at the end of each year.
Over the weekend and mid this week, people continued to travel to their villages mostly by ships.
On Christmas day Thursday 25th December MV Anjeanette was packed with passengers as it departed Honiara at 10pm for the Choiseul and Western Provinces.
The vessel arrived from Isabel on Thursday afternoon and then continued with the special trip heading through all Western Ports then continued on to Choiseul and Shortlands.
Because of the long-haul trip many people from Choiseul and Shortlands boarded MV Anjeanette on Thursday afternoon.
This morning [Friday] MV Pelican 1 was also packed with passengers as it traveled to the Western and Choiseul.
On Saturday MV Marina 2 and on Sunday MV Fair Lady will make their trip before the New Year day.
Given the extra holiday break this week and the next week many Honiara-based public officers and residents are taking time out to travel to their communities for a brief vacation.
A public officer said, he decided to travel to Western Province on Thursday and will return to Honiara after the New Year day. Most government officers will resume duty on Monday 5th January 2025.
He is taking advantage of the brief break to visit his family in Gizo.
For most of these travellers, celebrating and welcoming the New Year at their village is always exciting.
A young traveler who is spending his break on Gatokae, Marovo, Western Province this weekend said, its exciting to be celebrate the festive break with loved ones in the villages.
“This festive season always bring excitement to everyone and also unite families,” the grade five student said.
The demand for shipping services during this peak traveling time also highlights the need for more shipping services to our provinces.
Malaita Province is also one province that has seen the demand for shipping service rising.
