The Tourism Authority of Kiribati (TAK) participated in the Southern Line Islands Marine Protected Area (SLIMPA) workshop to review the Draft SLIMPA Management Plan 2020 – 2024 on Thursday 16 April 2020.
The objective of the workshop was to review the SLIMPA Management Plan 2020 – 2024 developed by the PIPA Implementing Office (PIO).
Following the Government of Kiribati’s (GoK) approval, SLIMPA, which consist of Flint, Volstok, Starbuck, Malden and Millennium islands north of French Polynesia, will be a no-take Marine Protected Area (MPA) like the Phoenix Islands Protected Area (PIPA).
TAK was invited to review the tourism plan in the SLIMPA Management plan. Through the workshop, TAK outlined its recommendations for sustainable tourism in SLIMPA which focuses on maintaining a balance between revenue generation and marine line conservation.
The location of the islands between Kiritimati and Papeete makes SLIMPA a suitable stop over destination for cruise vessels travelling to Papeete from North America. In addition, the islands boast a collection of rare bird species and abundant sea life, suitable for birdwatchers and diving enthusiasts.
The workshop was also attended by representatives from various government departments and organizations including the Attorney General’s Office, Kiribati Police Service, Kiribati Oil Company, Kiribati Tourism Authority, Kiribati Airport Authority, Public Utilities Board, Kiribati Solar Energy, Kiribati National Shipping Co. Ltd, Kiribati Chamber of Commerce and Air Kiribati.
