Tourism Authority Kiribati

Kaongora Newsletter

TAK attends the Tropical Coastal Tourism Event in Sanya, China

The Acting CEO, of the Tourism Authority of Kiribati attended the Tropical Coastal Tourism Event in Sanya, China on 4-6th September 2024 as a guest speaker to the panel discussions on Indigenous Tourism panel discussions.

The event was organized by the Sanya Tourism Board and supported by the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA). The event’s theme “The Next Wave: Shaping the Future of Tourism Marketing in Tropical Coastal Cities,” brought together representatives from international tourism organizations, delegates from foreign city administrations alongside domestic governmental sectors and travel companies.

The Acting CEO, TAK had the opportunity to be featured in the additional panel discussions focusing on Indigenous Tourism: Enriching Journeys and Supporting Local Communities. The panelists consisting of WAITOC Australia, Tourism Solomon and Tourism Selangor of Indonesia, and Tourism Authority of Kiribati highlighted the importance of respecting and preserving indigenous cultures whilst promoting economic development through tourism.

For Kiribati as being the least developed tourism destination in the event, Ms. Onorio of TAK took the opportunity to highlight the importance of cultural tourism reflected in the newly launched Community Based Tourism initiatives in the Kiribati outer islands.
This was the first PATA event that TAK attended being a newly registered member since 2022.