Tourism Authority Kiribati

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Ketia Natan

Kiribati Tourism Industry Review 2020 Report

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The Tourism Authority of Kiribati (TAK) has released the Kiribati Tourism Industry Review 2020 report which is a consolidation of data from various local sources and provides a general overview of Kiribati tourism sector in 2020.

The report reveals an 82% year on year (YOY) drop in international visitor arrivals in 2020 and the subsequent reduction in tourism employment by 61%.

In revenue, the border closure from the end of March 2020 resulted in an  estimated minimum loss of approximately AUD2.2m in tourism earnings to the Kiribati economy.

The report also reveals that whilst some Kiribati tourism businesses seized operations due to the border closure, those that remained opened were sustained by domestic, government and Non-Government Organisation (NGO’s) business.

The report is an annual analysis of the tourism sector and aims to update stakeholders with an annual review of Kiribati’s tourism industry.

TAK acknowledges the contributions of the Ministry of Health & Medical Services (MHMS), Air Kiribati Limited (AKL), Marine Guard,  Immigration department, Kiribati Customs, and tourism business operators to this report.

A copy of the report is available on https://corporate.visitkiribati.travel/download/kiribati-tourism-review-2020/

 

Tourism Supports Betio Anti-Litter Campaign

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The Tourism Authority of Kiribati (TAK) supports and welcomes the launch of the first Litter Enforcement Campaign initiated by the Ministry of Environment, Lands and Agricultural Development (MELAD) through its Environment & Conservation Division (ECD) from 01 May 2021 on the islet of Betio, South Tarawa.

With the theme Ikarekebai ibukin Betio Boboto, (Strengthening Community Based Partnership for effective Littering Enforcement on Betio), the campaign is a collaboration between Betio Local communities and Betio community policing to strengthen the enforcement of the Environment Amendment Act 2007, in particular the ‘Littering Provision’,

This campaign is the result of MELAD’s collaborative initiative with Betio Local Communities, facilitated during the 2020 MELAD week dialogue between MELAD-ECD and Betio Local Communities. The collaboration was officiated with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that aims to address the waste and litter challenges on Betio.

MELAD is also undertaking community consultations with several maneaba and waste and littering awareness roadshows on Betio. This will be followed by a number of scheduled enforcement training to local communities’ security representatives to be facilitated by MELAD with the support of the Office of the Attorney General (OAG).

The trainings will aim to build the capacities of these local community securities and empower them to enforce this Littering provision of the Environment Act on Betio.

MELAD is of the view that this outreach campaign will raise awareness and also prepare the general public on Betio for the upcoming enforcement of the Littering provisions of the Environment Amendment Act 2007, to be led by the Betio Local Communities with the full support of the MELAD Environment Inspectors and the Police officers stationed on Betio.

MELAD encourages the general public, Schools, Government Ministries and State-Owned Enterprises (SoE) to support this initiative.

Bill to Strengthen E-Commerce in Kiribati  

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The Tourism Authority of Kiribati (TAK) welcomed the Government of Kiribati’s (GoK) tabling of the Electronic Transactions Bill 2021 for consideration in Parliament by the Honourable Booti Nauan, Minister for Commerce, Industry and Cooperatives (MCIC).

Through an official release, the MCIC stated that the Electronic Transactions Bill provides legal recognition and status to the use of electronic communications and signatures. It applies to all types of electronic transactions exchanged among Business, Government and Consumers, subject, in certain cases, to the adoption of implementing regulations”.

In his introductory remarks for the Bill, Honourable Booti Nauan, highlighted that the Bill fulfills the Government’s long-term development plans outlined in the Kiribati 20-Year Vision 2016-2036 (KV20) and the Government’s Manifesto aiming at developing a regulatory environment for electronic transactions and, in particular, enabling electronic communications in commercial dealings.

Honourable Booti Nauan further noted that electronic commerce is particularly important in Kiribati given geographical challenges and the shortage of physical infrastructure. The adoption of the Bill comes at a critical time as the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic has escalated the use of electronic communications in commercial activities, including in Kiribati.

The Bill is based on UNCITRAL texts. Once the Bill is passed, Kiribati will be one of the first countries in the world, and possibly the first in the Pacific, to adopt the UNCITRAL Model Law on Electronic Transferable Records.

The second reading of the Bill is scheduled in the next Parliament session, later this year.

 

UNDP Tourism Sector Micro-credentials a Success

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The UNDP Micro-credentials for the Tourism Sector project for Kiribati has been deemed a success by the Australia Pacific Training Coalition (APTC), the organisation tasked to implement the project across the Pacific.

Two online courses, Digital Literacy Essentials, and Communication Technologies for Business Success were included in this project and initially targeted 40 participants. Due to overwhelming interest from across Kiribati, the project increased availability to 100 participants, and 65 participants successfully complete the courses.

APTC Innovations Team Specialist Advisor, Susan Bateup stated “whilst the project concluded on 31 Match 2020, the Micro-credentials will continue to be available for anyone from Kiribati to Register online via the APTC website – https://aptc.edu.au/courses/micro-credentials –  and will be supported by the MyVillage eLearning support team”.

The APTC also advised that it is considering additional Micro-credentials to be added to its current collection of Micro-credential short courses and information on this will be shared once available.

The Tourism Authority of Kiribati acknowledged the tremendous support extended to the Kiribati tourism industry by the APTC to assist in building capacity during a challenging time and looks forward to opportunities for tourism training support in the future.

 

 

TAK visits Australia High Commissioner

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The Tourism Authority of Kiribati (TAK) carried out its first official visit to the new Australia High Commissioner to Kiribati, His Excellency Mr. David Yardley on Tuesday, 20 April 2021.

Led by TAK CEO, Petero Manufolau, TAK took the opportunity to brief High Commissioner Yardley on the organization and its work as guided by the TAK Strategic Plan and its Kiribati National Tourism Development Framework 2020 – 2022.

Areas discussed included TAK’s work on the Kiribati Sustainable Tourism Policy framework, tourism investment opportunities, training and capacity building and the Kiribati Tourism Reset program including the Kiribati Tourism & Hospitality Protocols for the New Normal.

As a key source market for business and leisure & adventure travel to Kiribati, TAK also expressed that Australian destinations like Far North Queensland are the ideal catalyst for sustainable tourism which Kiribati can benchmark against.

In concluding their visit, TAK acknowledged with appreciation Australia’s support for programs that will inherently benefit Kiribati tourism in the long term such as their support local training institutions, the labour mobility program and the Australia Volunteers International (AVI) network.

 

 

 

Strengthening stakeholder engagement in E-Commerce Project in Kiribati

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The Australian Government launched its $4.5million funding assistance in 2019 on the E-commerce Aid for Trade through its Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) for Pacific Island Countries.  Kiribati through the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Cooperatives (MCIC) received AUD $483,980.00 of financial support from the Government of Australia to implement the project of “Strengthening stakeholder engagement in E-Commerce in Kiribati”

The project has three components which are: promotion of digital business operations; website redesign of the Kiribati Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) and the Establishment of National Online Marketplace/App.

The project’s duration is for a one-year period, starting from September 2020 and ending in September 2021.  The project is being implemented by the MCIC in close collaboration with important stakeholders like the KCCI and others, with guidance from DT Global, the Technical Working Group and the national Trade Advisory Committee (NTAC) as the Project Steering Committee.

The project’s outputs will create more jobs, reduce inequality by generating income for Outer Island Communities, increasing economic opportunities for the Private Sector or the Small Medium Enterprises (SMEs) to participate in the Digital Economy and overcome market barriers and to connect businesses with consumers and vise-versa.  The project is also expected to change the perception of Internet use to a more profitable venture not only for the business community but the public at large.

On behalf of the Government of Kiribati, Minister for Commerce, Industries and Cooperatives, Honorable Minister Bootii Nauan conveyed his sincerest gratitude to the Government and the People of Australia for supporting the ‘steppingstone’ for Kiribati in transitioning towards digital business operations.

Online Survey Design Workshop for TAK

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The New Zealand Tourism Research Institute (NZTRI) conducted the first of a series of capacity building workshops on online surveys for the Tourism Authority of Kiribati (TAK) on Wednesday 07 April 2021. The workshop follows the inclusion of Kiribati in phase two of the New Zealand MFAT- funded Pacific Tourism Data Initiative (PTDI).  

The goal of the PTDI is to increase evidence-based tourism decision making in the Pacific with a view to strengthening sustainable economic development. 

The workshop was conducted via zoom by Professor Simon Milne,  Director at the NZTRI. It focused on the International Visitors Survey (IVS) and how it can be implemented as an online survey. The workshop participants were shown examples from other Pacific island surveys and best practices in the region. 

The workshop was attended by TAK officers on Tarawa and Kiritimati and they were joined by the Research & Planning Unit team of the Ministry of Information, Communication, Transport and Tourism Development (MICTTD).

Kiribati presents at UNWTO Sustainable Tourism workshop

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The Tourism Authority of Kiribati (TAK) participated in the UNWTO hybrid Workshop on Sustainable Tourism Product Development in the Pacific Islands as a key virtual presenter for Pacific Small Island States on Wednesday 31st March 2021.

The event was hosted at Holiday Inn Suva, Fiji, and participants included government and national tourism office officials, development partners, academics, and tourism private sector representatives from around the Pacific and Asia.

The workshop was designed to support and advance the development of sustainable tourism products in the Pacific Islands. It also encouraged the exchange of good practices in sustainable tourism development between Pacific Islands and pioneer countries and promoted and disseminated the findings of the UNWTO/APTEC Publication on Sustainable Tourism Product Development Opportunities in the Pacific Islands.

In TAK’s presentation, CEO Petero Manufolau shared measures taken by Kiribati to incentivize the development of sustainable tourism products and strategies and progress undertaken to accelerate the development of a sustainable tourism development strategy. He also shared Kiribati’s success story on the Kiribati Plastic Tourism Waste initiative, a program which earned the destination a Creative Tourism Award in January 2021.

Staffs of TAK used the virtual workshop to familiarise themselves with post covid sustainable tourism development initiatives and best practices from the region.

TAK’s participation in the workshop is an important pathway in the development of Kiribati’s Sustainable Tourism Policy which is scheduled to commence soon.

 

 

 

Environmentally Responsible Building for Kiritimati

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KPF new building

Kiritimati (Christmas) Island in the Line Group on the Eastern part of Kiribati is better known for world class game and bone fishing with spectacular fishing flats that continue to attract fishing enthusiasts from around the world. It is also where every new day begins and leads the world in welcoming new year on every 01st of January.

As the first to welcome each new sunrise, Kiritimati has taken that status to the new level with the construction of the islands first environmentally responsible building complex that will harness the full potential of the sun with renewable solar energy. The building was officially handed over to its owners, the Kiribati Provident Fund (KPF) on Friday 26 March 2021.

Constructed by local builder, Betty’s Construction Services, this first of a kind complex for Kiribati features 24 rental rooms, a board room, 200 pax capacity conference room, lounge bar, accommodation with an open courtyard in the center.

The 360-degree design complex features large glass wall panels that will allow for sufficient light inside the building at any time of the day thus reducing the need for extra lighting.

The building complex will primarily be solar powered with supplementary diesel power available as backup. Such a power source will mean that all the KPF offices, boardroom, conference room and lounge bar will be 100% solar powered while the rented office spaces will be 90% solar powered.

Hon Mikarite Temari, Minister for Line & Phoenix Islands Development (MLPID) received the building from Betty’s Constriction on behalf of the Minister for Finance and Economic Development (MFED), Hon Dr. Teuea Toatu, who is also minister responsible for KPF.

In the handover ceremony, Hon Temari expressed that government was very impressed with the project which was carried out during the Covid-19 border closure and provided employment opportunities for many people in Kiritimati.

The project cost AUS$7million and was funded by the Kiribati Government.

Ecotourism in Abemama

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Ecotourism packages featured prominently at the recent Cultural Trade Fair held on the island of Abemama from 12 – 13 March 2021.

An initiative by the Cultural and Museum Division of Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) and in collaboration with government stakeholders, the Cultural Trade Fair showcased how the Cultural Trade Fair showcased how maintaining our traditional knowledge and skills can address food security challenges in response to the adverse impacts of climate change on the island.

Consistent with the aim of the event, the Reina village ecotourism venture showcased it’s agritourism package, including a delightful food presentation of local produce when it catered for morning tea and lunch on Day 1 of the event.

Baretoa village, well known for their unique cultural entertainment provided guests with a unique flavour of Abemama through traditional songs and dance.

Mrs. Teitirua, the Island Development Officer (IDO), stated that “the two villages are very fortunate to have this opportunity as it enables them to showcase and promote what they have learnt, particularly food security initiatives that enhance visitor experience.”

Other activities at the Trade Fair included the sale of local food produce and handicraft, school competitions, Mauri wear fashion show, coconut games, and cooking competition.

TAK’s participation at this event was supported by the Kiribati LDCF (Least Developed Countries Fund) – Food Security Project, funded by the Global Environment Facility under the United Nations Development Program. A project initiated under the Environment and Conservation Division of the Ministry of Environment, Lands and Agricultural Developments.

The event was held at Uee n Abemama Maneaba, on Kariatebike Village and was hailed a success by the organisers and people of Abemama.