The Tourism Authority of Kiribati (TAK) celebrated World Tourism Day 2021 with the theme “Tourism Through Inclusive Growth, by unveiling its Tourism Restart Program in Betio South Tarawa.
The event was attended by government ministers, secretaries, members of the diplomatic corps, tourism operators, non-government organisations (NGO), and civil society representatives from Tarawa and Kiritimati.
TAK Chief Executive Officer, Petero Manufolau shared the organisation’s tourism restart program framework which aims to determine, clarify, and communicate what conditions and protocols will be needed to be adhered to for international travel to happen into Kiribati. The program also intends to prepare Kiribati tourism operators for the resumption of international travel through health, business, and marketing support.
In his presentation, Manufolau highlighted the 4 main components of the Kiribati Tourism Restart Program framework which includes COVID-19 Safety Protocols, the 2021 – 2023 Digital Marketing Strategy, the revised Mauri Mark Tourism Accreditation Program and the 2021 – 2036 Kiribati Sustainable Tourism Development Policy Framework.
In his official address, Minister of Information, Communication, Transport & Tourism Development (MICTTD), Honourable Tekeeua Tarati acknowledged the work carried out by Tourism Authority of Kiribati over the past 18-months, in particular the efforts to develop and grow the domestic tourism market in Kiribati, and the development of the COVID-19 tourism safe protocols.
On the 09th of September 2021, the Government of Kiribati, announced the opening of its international borders from January 2022 and part of TAK’s Tourism Restart Program will help prepare tourism stakeholders for the reopening.
