The Consultation Team, comprised of representatives from the Tourism Authority of Kiribati (TAK), the Ministry of Internal Affairs, and the Ministry of Tourism, Commerce, Industry and Cooperatives ( MTCIC) commenced its consultation with Local government Island Councils on April 5th, 2024. The purpose of this consultation was to inform the Island Councils of the transition in the collection of tourism operational licenses from island councils to the Tourism Authority of Kiribati, commencing early next year, 2025. These tourism operational licenses are currently managed by the island councils under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. However, under the Tourism Act 2018, the TAK has been mandated to collect these licenses from the accommodation providers. So for this year 2024, all Tourism operators are still required to pay their licenses to their respective councils prior this transition commencing early next year.
The first island council that was visited recently for the consultation with the TAK Team was Eutan Tarawa Council given its proximity to the Capital South Tarawa and has the highest number of commercial accommodations compared to other island councils of Kiribati. TAK team expressed its gratitude to the councillors for voicing their concerns and took the opportunity to provide clarity on the necessity of collecting operational licenses for accommodation from the island councils.
The rationale behind this initiative includes:
1. Marketing Fund Allocation: The funds collected through these licenses from accommodations will contribute to a Marketing Fund. This fund will be reinvested to benefit accommodation owners by facilitating marketing and promotional activities aimed at showcasing their establishments and services to international markets.
2. Service Enhancement: Additionally, the marketing fund will support tourism operators in improving their services, specifically, it will enable the provision of essential training programs, such as those focusing on hospitality and customer service provided by the Tourism Authority (TAK). These trainings aim to elevate the standards in existing guesthouses thereby minimizing potential complaints from guests and enhancing guest experiences. These are some of the key reasons elaborated by the Standards and Licensing Manager- Mr Iataake King
With all clarifications and deliberations made, the Mayor on behalf of the full council members gave a final remark or decision that Eutan Tarawa Council is supporting this plan and willing to work with TAK in this undertaking. The meeting ended with positive feedback from the full council members. The next consultation will be TAK team visiting Betio Town Council before continuing with the rest of the island councils of the outer-islands. This transition signifies a significant step towards streamlining tourism operations in Kiribati ensuring a more efficient and effective management system for operational licenses. By centralizing the collection of operational licenses, the TAK aims to empower local accommodation and tour operators, enhance service standards, and ultimately boost tourism in Kiribati.
