The Tourism Authority of Kiribati (TAK) launched its Kiribati Sustainable Tourism Policy (KSTP) along with the Strategic Plan 2024-2026 during the Ministry of Tourism, Commerce, and Industry Cooperatives Business Awards held on Saturday, January 13, 2024, at the Sport Complex, Betio.
In presenting the documents, the Minister of Tourism, Commerce, and Tourism Cooperatives, the Honourable Minister Mr. Booti Nauan, shared that the KSTP aims to transform Kiribati into a wealthier, healthier, and more peaceful country that aligns well with relevant global and regional sustainable development frameworks and the Kiribati Government’s 20 year (KV20) Vision.
He added that this was the first-ever Kiribati Sustainable Tourism Policy, resulting from the collaboration between the Ministry and the Asian Development Bank’s Pacific Private Sector Development Initiative (ADB-PSDI), engaging a multitude of stakeholders within the Government and across local businesses and host communities.
While the Kiribati Sustainable Tourism Policy and strategic plan signify an important milestone in our tourism development journey, it also envisions growth that will enable our natural environments to flourish, our socio-cultural values to thrive, and guarantee economic prosperity across our remote islands and communities.
To fulfil these ambitions, it will require a whole of government and whole of nation approach and I look forward to your continued valuable support as we endeavour to transform Kiribati into achieving its high level goals and to minimize the negative impacts of tourism while maximizing its benefits, the Honourable Minister highlighted.
The event was attended by the Kiribati Vice President and Honourable Ministers from Ministry of Education, Ministry of Employment and Human Resources, Ministry of Health and Medical Services, Ministry of Infrastructure and Sustainable Energy, Members of the Diplomatic corps, Kiribati Chamber of Commerce, and the business stakeholders.