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TAK hosts final PTI Digital Tourism webinar

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The Tourism Authority of Kiribati (TAK) offices in Tarawa and Kiritimati hosted the last sets of the Pacific Trade and Invest (PTI) Australia’s Advance Tourism Digital webinars for their respective tourism operators on Wednesday 04 November 2020.

The webinar covered Content Marketing, Distribution Strategy and Online Payment Solutions and were an extension of the Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and Search Engine Market (SEM) online workshops that were held earlier in October.

TAK is leading its industry’s efforts to strengthen Kiribati’s online presence and believes that such an initiative by PTI positively contributes to growing capacity in the digital marketing space for its tourism operators. TAK acknowledges that the content of the webinars was applicable given the status quo in international tourism and the training has helped open their minds to the opportunities available through an effective digital marketing program.

The webinars were attended by 8 operators in Tarawa and 4 operators in Kiritimati.

 

TAK & KiriCAN discuss Collaboration Opportunities

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The Tourism Authority of Kiribati (TAK) met with the Kiribati Climate Action Network (KiriCAN) on 13 October 2020 to discuss opportunities for collaboration between the two organisations.

KiriCAN is the mother organisation for climate change and resilience NGO’s in Kiribati and is well recognised for developing effective climate change mitigation initiatives through agriculture and environmental conservation.

For over 10 years, KiriCAN has been worked with over 700 communities around Kiribati including South Tarawa and other Gilbert island to build resilient initiatives against the impact of climate change. Their activities include capacity building on agricultural skills and techniques to maximize the production, soap making (noni and charcoal), farming healthy greens (organic culinary) and nutritious foods, noni juice, and antibiotics.

The KiriCAN promotes a resilient Kiribati through local adaptation measures as well as a mind-set that will train the local I-Kiribati citizens that climate change is not a threat but an opportunity to learn more on how to survive with it and what are alternatives that can generates revenue.

TAK acknowledges the opportunities KiriCAN presents for the development of responsible and agritourism niche products through community engagement and both organisations seek to explore these potentials further.

 

 

Kiritimati South East Peninsula committee meets

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The Tourism Authority of Kiribati (TAK) in Kiritimati is part of the South East Peninsula Project Committee, developed to implement a project that will safeguard Kiritimati Island’s Wildlife.

The committee met on 26 October 2020 to discuss a budget and program for the launch of a new “Kiritimati Island Conservation Protected Areas” project.

The project will be funded under the BIOPAMA programme, an initiative of the ACP Group of States financed by the European Development Fund (EDF), jointly implemented by the International Union for conservation of Nature (IUCN) and the Joint Research Center of the European Commission (JRC).

It is envisioned that the project will enhance the management and governance of priority protected areas in Kiritimati by addressing existing limitations, strengthening on-site infrastructure/equipment for patrolling, poaching control, developing capacity of staff. The project will also enforce the legal framework required to achieve effective biodiversity and to support local communities’ initiatives that will enhance the livelihoods of local people and effectively contribute to the management of protected areas.

The project will also oversee the development of the management plan for the protected areas in Kiritimati. Once completed, the plan will provide recommendations for sustainable tourism activities that will generate long term benefits both to the environment and the national economy.

Kiritimati Business Award Survey  

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The Tourism Authority of Kiribati (TAK) together with the Ministry of Industry & Cooperatives (MCIC) in Kiritimati Island conducted a Kiribati Business Survey to five of Kiritimati Accommodations on Thursday 15 October 2020.

Properties surveyed included the Village Hotel, Lagoon View Resort, Little Flower, Sunset Horizon Fishing Lodge and IKARI House. Due to the impact of COVID-19 on travel to Kiritimati, the survey criteria and questionnaire were altered to reflect the current status of accommodation business operations in Kiritimati

The survey measured each accommodation’s performance based in these new criteria where the highest achiever will be crowned winner Accommodation and Hospitality category in the 2020 Kiribati National Business Awards.

Kiritimati will hold its National Business awards on 28 December 2020.

TAK pays courtesy visit to Chinese Embassy

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The Tourism Authority of Kiribati (TAK) made its first official visit to the Chinese Embassy in Bairiki on Monday, 12 October 2020 on the invitation of Counsellor Mr. Huang Xuehu.

Led by CEO, Mr Petero Manufolau, the TAK contingent was made up of the Heads of the Marketing, Training & Development and Research & Statistics Divisions.

The visit gave TAK the opportunity to update Counsellor Huang on the organisation and its strategic priorities.  In his brief, TAK CEO emphasized the important role that the Tourism Authority has in fulfilling government of Kiribati’s (GoK) KV20 goal of making tourism a contributor to economic growth.

TAK also acknowledged the People’s Republic of China’s endorsement to grant Kiribati approved destination status in 2019 and believes that a sustainable approach to the Chinese international outbound travel market has the potential of help restart the destination post Covid-19.

Counsellor Huang expressed his team’s support for the work that TAK will undertake to help reset the tourism industry as they recognize that this industry has the potential to help drive the economy of Kiribati.

Kiribati Tourism & Hospitality Covid Protocol Workshop

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The Tourism Authority of Kiribati (TAK) in partnership with the Kiribati Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) conducted the first consultation workshop for the development of the Kiribati Tourism & Hospitality Protocol for the New Normal on Friday 09 October 2020 at the Utirerei Motel.

Funded through the US Embassy of Fiji’s Economic Recovery Project Grant to KCCI, the consultation workshop is part of a wider Reset Strategy which aims to prepare Kiribati for the new normal in tourism.

The consultation workshop brought together representatives from relevant government organisations, experts from the World Health Organisation (WHO), United Nations International Children Emergency Fund (UNICEF), Kiribati Red Cross Society and tourism business operators from across Tarawa.

A key outcome of the consultation workshop was the compilation of suggested Covid-19 travel safety protocols for accommodation, transport, restaurant, and bar service providers. These suggested protocols will be used to develop the Kiribati Tourism & Hospitality Protocol for the New Normal.

TAK and KCCI will undertake a similar consultation workshop in Kiritimati, following which the protocol document will be finalised and tourism operator training conducted before the end of 2020.

Tourism celebrated through National Essay Competition

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The Tourism Authority of Kiribati organised a National Essay Competition as part of its 2020 World Tourism Day celebration.

Based on the theme Building Peace; Fostering knowledge, the essay competition invited form 4 students from across Tarawa and Kiritimati to share their views on how tourism can promote peace through culture.

The Tarawa competition was conducted on Friday 11 September 2020 at the Kiribati Institute of Technology (KIT) and the Kiritimati competition was hosted at KIT. Kiritimati. 5 schools participated in Tarawa and 2 in Kiritimati with a total number 18 students. Each student was given 1 hour and 30 minutes to complete the essay under the strict supervision of Ministry of Education officials.

Ms Stella Henry of King George V & Ellaine Bernacchi School won the competition and earned herself a brand-new Samsung mobile phone compliments of Vodafone Kiribati. Her efforts also earned her school win a brand-new desktop computer set compliments of Tikatai Trading.

Second place went to Ms Werma Tamton from King George V & Ellaine Bernacchi School and Ms Olivera Monojlovic from St Louis High School while the third place went to Ms Tauai Karaimarewe from St Francis College from Kiritimati Island.

A copy of Ms. Stella Henry’s essay can be downloaded from the Resource Centre of TAK’s corporate website.

 

 

 

 

TAK Kiritimati celebrates World Tourism Day

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The Tourism Authority of Kiribati office in Kiritimati Island celebrated World Tourism Day for one week from the 21 to 25 September 2020. Part of the one-week program included trainings and awareness programs conducted by Ministry of Commerce & Industry Cooperative (MCIC), Ministry of Women, Youth, Sport & Social Affairs (MWYSSA), and Wildlife.

MCIC & MWYSA conducted trainings on Business Acts and Women empowerment from 21 to 22 September 2020, while a clean-up campaign organized by Wildlife & Conservation Division conducted on 24 September 2020.

Official celebration was held on Friday 25 September at the Millennium maneaba. The program included remarks from Officer in Charge for Line and Phoenix Office Mr. Bwereti Tewareka followed by the award of certificates and reference to the 20 participants of the Business Acts and Women Empowerment trainings and the award for third prize in the National Essay writing competition.

Invited guests included OIC for MLPID, tourism operators and accommodation providers, training participants, participating schools, and markers for essay writing competition, OIC for MHMS, and the WTD committee members.

TAK in Kiritimati Solid Waste management committee

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The Kiritimati Solid Waste management committee which includes TAK conducted their meeting at Wildlife & Conservation Unit office on the 03 September 2020 was chaired by the Senior Environment inspector, Mr Ata Binoka.

The main purpose of this meeting was to discuss proposed work plans and activities for solid waste management. Chair Binoka stated that the Budget for the cleaning campaign program was now ready and stakeholders are requested to prepare their programs and budget related to Solid Waste Management to be compiled and sent to the Solid Waste management project office.

However, TAK’s programs and activities will focus on tourism awareness programs related to solid waste management and sustainable tourism development.

Kiritimati plans for Open Integrated Market (OIM)  

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The establishment of the OIM for local producers on Kiritimati Island is one of the Ministry of Commerce, Industry & Cooperatives (MCIC) project in the 2020 – 2023 Strategic Plan recommended through the Trade Policy Framework (TPF) to enhance and promote domestic trade on the island.

The first preparatory meeting was held at the Ministry of Line & Phoenix Islands Development (MLPID) boardroom on Thursday, 21 May 2020 and was attended by 10 representatives from different government offices on the island including the Tourism Authority of Kiribati.

It was agreed at this first meeting that a survey was to be conducted to random household on Kiritimati and as well as village to gauge an understanding on whether or not the establishment of the OIM on Kiritimati is necessary.

The result of the survey was tabled in a special meeting on Thursday 27 August 2020, and indicated that the establishment of the OIM on the island is supported by many, hence the committee will be continue working on the next preparation phase of the project.

Once completed, the project will support local producers and TAK sees the OIM as a great opportunity for widen traveler experiences and increase visitor spending opportunities on the island.

 

 

 

 

The Tourism Authority of Kiribati is responsible for working with our partners to encourage travelers to come to Kiribati and spend time exploring our country.

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