The Tourism Authority of Kiribati (TAK) proudly announces a remarkable achievement for the country’s tourism industry. For the first time, Kiribati recorded a total of 9,504 visitor arrivals in 2024, marking a significant milestone as the destination moves closer to the 10,000-visitor benchmark.
The 2024 Annual Tourism Review presents a comprehensive overview of Kiribati’s tourism performance, capturing key data on visitor arrivals and departures, purpose of visit, nationality, and monthly trends. The report also examines domestic travel patterns by sea and air, visitation to the Kiribati Museum, and insights into the tourism supply chain across the islands. In addition, it highlights cruise passenger numbers, yacht arrivals, and tourism intensity rates resulting from the increase in visitor arrivals.
Key Highlights
- Pacific countries emerged as the leading source market in 2024, contributing 30% of total arrivals.
- Australia and the United States followed closely, each representing 18% of arrivals.
- Corporate travel remained the primary purpose of the visit, particularly among Pacific and Australian nationals.
- The United States continued to lead as the top source market for fishing tourism in Kiritimati.
Growth in Accommodation and Tourism Supply
Kiribati’s accommodation sector also experienced notable growth, expanding from 69 establishments in 2023 to 74 in 2024. This growth includes a 7% increase in rooms, 8% increase in beds, and an 11% increase in tourism employment.
Although the number of accommodation establishments in South Tarawa, the capital, remains constant, the number of available rooms rose by 20%.
New developments include three establishments in North Tarawa, one in Makin, and one in Butaritari, reflecting continued investment in the country’s tourism infrastructure.
Domestic Travel Trends
Domestic travel data shows a 12% increase in air travel and a 6% decrease in sea travel compared to 2023, highlighting a shift in travel preferences among residents and local travellers. For full details of the report, please click here. Kiribati Tourism Review 2024
The Tourism Authority of Kiribati extends its sincere appreciation to the following partners for their invaluable support and contribution to this report: Pacific Tourism Organisation (SPTO), Air Kiribati Limited, Marine Guard, Immigration Department, Shipping Agencies of Kiribati, Kiribati Customs Office, and all tourism operators and accommodation providers who supplied data for the 2024 review.