Capacity Building – Page 2 – Kaongora Newsletter

TAK’s Mauri Way Hospitality & Customer Service Training Program Rolls out in Tarawa

June 3, 2024 by Taare Rikiai

The Tourism Authority of Kiribati (TAK) has initially rolled out its new Hospitality & Customer Service training program, ‘Mauri Way’. This new tourism training program commenced on Tuesday, May 14th to Friday, 17th 2024, at St. Joseph Parish Hall in Bikenibeu in South Tarawa’s capital and was attended by local tourism operators from South Tarawa and North Tarawa.

The Mauri Way is a Kiribati Tourism & Hospitality Customer Service training program designed to educate our local operators in ways to share our culture with visitors and deliver a memorable and exceptional visitor experience, the Kiribati way.

Introducing the Mauri Way Tourism & Hospitality Customer Service training program was therefore aimed at empowering all local tourism operators in Kiribati with valuable insights and knowledge to boost their customer service to a national level and enhance visitors’ experiences.

TAK has already completed two rounds of Mauri Way training. The first cohort consisted of operators from North Tarawa, and the second cohort was held from May 21st to 24th, 2024, with local operators from South Tarawa at the Youth for Christian Living (YCL) Conference room in Antebuka in South Tarawa.

The training covered seven modules, which include:
Module 1: Introduction to Mauri Way,
Module 2: First Impression,
Module 3: Types of Travellers and Cultural Awareness,
Module 4: Anticipating travellers’ needs and wants,
Module 5: Problem-solving, Complaint Handling, and Conflict Management,
Module 6: Customer Service
Module 7: Bringing it all together.
The training was conducted by two Tourism Officers, Senior Tourism Officer Ms. Ereata Benson, and Tourism Officer Ms. Monika Rikita.

A total of 25 participants from various tourism operators attended the training, with 8 joining the first session and the remaining 17 participating in the second session.
The Tourism Authority of Kiribati acknowledges the Pacer Plus Implementation Unit for funding this training program and the Ministry of Tourism, Commerce, Industry & Cooperatives for their support and facilitation during the delivery of this new national hospitality & customer service training program

Butaritari Island Further Embraces Opportunity for Community-Based Tourism Development

May 14, 2024 by Taare Rikiai

The Tourism Authority of Kiribati (TAK) embarked on a visit to Butaritari Island from the 17th to the 24th to foster the development of Community-Based Tourism (CBT) Business Plans as part of the tourism product enhancement initiative. Ms. Kiarake Karuaki, an officer specializing in Tourism Product Development and Investment Promotion of TAK, has collaborated with Butaritari villages and communities, aided by the Butaritari Island Council, to shape their tourism offerings.

The consultation for developing Business Plans with CBT operators aims to formalize their activities into small to medium enterprises. These plans will empower communities to navigate the business landscape effectively, including accessing funding or loans for expansion and attracting investment. By establishing a comprehensive business plan, CBTs gain a structured framework for managing and assessing their business performance, aligning with their objectives over time.

The Tourism Authority of Kiribati will present these business plans to the CBTs as a mark of recognition, certifying them as CBT operators under its auspices.

TAK Officer Participates in USA Professional Fellows Program

July 5, 2023June 29, 2023 by Taare Rikiai

Tourism Authority of Kiribati (TAK) Assistant Officer, Research & Statistics, Mr Garstang Bitauea has returned from USA after attending the Professional Fellows Program Oceania (PFP Oceania) at Arizona State from May 1-31 and Professional Fellows Congress June 5-9 at Washington DC. Mr Bitauea was amongst participants lows from Fiji, Marshall Islands, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Samoa, and FSM.

The program is a two-way, global exchange program designed to promote mutual understanding, enhance leadership and professional skills, as well as build lasting, sustainable partnerships between mid-level emerging leaders from the Pacific Islands and the United States.

The PFP Oceania Program ran from May 3-31 where, during which time, Mr Bitauea was placed at the Arizona State University for School of Communities Resources and Development to learn about Sustainable Tourism initiatives from Dr. Christine Buzinde. The TAK assistant officer also had the opportunity to connect with Research Manager from Research Division of Arizona Office of Tourism and CEO of Tourism Tempe to learn about Tourism Industry in Arizona State.

The fellowship concluded with a Professional Fellows Congress in Washington DC from 5-9 June. The Congress hosted fellows from more than 40 countries who engaged to enhance their network internationally with each other, reflect on U.S exchange fellowship and discusses common challenges and opportunities for international collaboration.

The Professional Fellows Program Oceania (PFP Oceania) was sponsored by the U.S. Department of State Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs’ and organized by Cultural Vistas a non-profit organization based in Washington DC. This fellowship program will be continuing to attract more young leaders from the Pacific Islands every year.

TAK benefits from JICA Knowledge Co-Creation Program

March 1, 2023February 28, 2023 by Taare Rikiai

Tourism Authority of Kiribati (TAK) Tourism Officer Marketing & Promotion Ms. Maaba Katirite participated at the Knowledge Co-Creation Program on ‘Tourism Marketing and Promotion for the New Normal’ in Tokyo Japan from 20 January – 08 February 2023.

Organized by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and World Business Association, the Japan in-country program was a follow up to the online training component of the program that took place in November 2022. The four weeks online training had focused on theoretical lessons on tourism products and services delivered by different tourism organization in Japan. Participants were invited to apply similar concepts that best suited their respective destinations.

Ms. Katirite joined participants from Europe, Africa, Caribbean, and the Pacific at the three weeks training program offered in Japan. Through this in-country program, she experienced a number of Japanese tourism products including the Resort Workation Prince Hotel, Auto Camping sites, Matsumoto-ro Hotel, Glamping Site, Geo Park Museum, Peninsula Geopark Site, and the National Museum of Japan.

Through these experiences, Ms. Katirite boarded her understanding on TAK had tourism businesses, their marketing strategies, targets market, customer inclusiveness and how they dealt with COVID-19 pandemic.

Ms. Katirite will share her experiences with local tourism operators and provide support to those that require support with product development, marketing and promotion.

Tourism Restart Training delivered in Maiana Island

November 30, 2022 by Taare Rikiai

The Tourism Authority of Kiribati (TAK) conducted a five-days tourism restart program training to all tourism businesses in Maiana on the 9 – 15 November 2022. This was held at the Island Council Guesthouse in Tebwangetua.

The five days training was attended by representatives from the local accommodation provider and tourism communities.

Conducted by Tourism Officer Ms. Monika Rikita, the training included Tourism and Hospitality for the new normal, Revenue management and Tourism Business Fundamental.

Six modules of the tourism and hospitality safety protocol training focused on the necessity for the tourism businesses to protect employees and travellers from COVID-19 by adhering to set protocols developed by TAK.

The tourism business fundamental training focused on tourism business concepts and services and the role that marketing and human resources capacity development plays in strengthening community-based tourism business initiatives. These also included ecotourism revenue management training which focused on sustainability practices, and revenue management.

TAK is confident that trainings provided in Maiana will assist the island community as they prepare to welcome back travellers to the island.

This program was supported by the Kiribati LDCF-1, funded by the Global Environmental Facilities, and implemented under the Ministry of Environment Lands and Agricultural Development through the Environment and Conservation Division.

Butaritari ready to welcome international travellers

November 30, 2022 by Taare Rikiai

The Tourism Authority of Kiribati (TAK) completed a one-week training on housekeeping, tour guide and COVID-19 safety on Butaritari island from 14 – 18 November 2022.

The COVID-19 safety protocol refresher training aimed to support the islands 4 accommodation providers and 1 restaurant to remain safety conscious as the island begin welcoming foreign visitors.

The tour guide training provided the islands registered tour guides the opportunity to improve their product knowledge, get a better understanding on tour package and pricing and management of their services as a business. Participants also received customer service training and were encouraged to create exceptional experiences for travellers to Butaritari.

The week-long training program concluded 79^th anniversary of the Battle of Makin (Butaritari) in Ukiangang village.

Tourism office conducted Bakery training on Tamana Island

November 1, 2022 by Taare Rikiai

The Tourism Authority of Kiribati conducted four days of bakery training for accommodation providers and representatives from different villages from 18 to 21 October 2022.

The training was part of Tamana Islands’ preparation for Coconut and Cooperative Day, celebrated in Tamana on October 22. The event is celebrated annually and is part of the Ministry of Tourism Commerce and Industry Cooperative activities.

The objective of this training is to help accommodation providers on Tamana Island explore new skills in baking and be able to bake a variety of baking whenever they have a guest to give them the Mauri way taste of local cuisines.

Villagers from Barebuka attended the four-day training. A total of 17 participants were involved in the activity. The workshop trainers shared ten recipes throughout the training, including coconut roll, cream donut, soft and decorated donut, striped coconut bread, chocolate cake, coconut cake, mini milo ball, simple vanilla cake, condensed milk cake, and banana cake.

During the coconut day event, participants showcased what they had baked at the TAK booth as a giveaway to whoever wanted to taste it.

The Tourism Authority of Kiribati hoped that following the workshop, participants could enhance their baking skills to add to their existing recipes they had learnt to offer guests and travelers when visited in the future.

TAK acknowledges the support from the Ministry and will roll out the same training to other islands which has not yet visited.

Tamana Island keen for tourism restart

October 31, 2022 by Taare Rikiai

The island of Tamana (pronounced Tamena) in the southern part of the Gilbert Islands in Kiribati is nationally known as the island of men, a repetitive phrase often echoed by the old men during traditional welcome ceremonies. This reference is a reflection of the island’s motto of “A man needs to be very skillful and healthy so that he is ready and prepared to provide for his family’s daily living and needs, especially in times of stormy weather’.

Tamana traditional dance depicts its closeness to the Polynesian archipelago and its geographical location has situated it off the beaten track tourism destination in Kiribati.

The Tourism Authority of Kiribati (TAK), through its safe, smart, and sustainable tourism restart to tourism program delivered a 4-days training on the island from 18 – 21 October 2022.

It was ideated that the trainings will provide participants with a better understanding on how to effectively manage their tourism businesses’. The trainings recommended that these could be achieved through value adding products and services.

The tourism business fundamentals training highlighted significant points to operate and market a tourism business while the Kiribati Tourism and Hospitality Protocols for the New Normal aimed at improving and enhancing the safety of both the consumers and the service providers in the post Covid19 situation.

Representatives from Tamana Island Council Guesthouse and the KPC Guesthouse participated and completed the training.

The monitoring and evaluation exercise to assess the guesthouses’ staffs compliance to the protocols.

The training was provided as part of the preparation and support to the National Coconut and Cooperative Day on the 22nd October 2022.

COVID-19 safety protocols training in South Tarawa

October 2, 2022 by Taare Rikiai

The Tourism Authority of Kiribati (TAK) conducted Covid-19 Safety Protocols Training for the Betio Lodge, Mary’s Motel, and Eniita Airport Lodge from 15 – 24 September 2022.

The 2-days per property training was attended by a total of 17 staffs across the 3 properties, most of whom are front-line staff.

The training focuses on health, safety and hygiene in the workplace and participants are certified as ambassadors of the COVID-19 safety protocols.

Property General Managers applauded TAK for its support to tourism SMEs to encourage and promote a safe, smart, and sustainable tourism restart in Kiribati.

TAK will continue to work with all accommodation providers to ensure that they are compliant to the basic COVID-19 safety requirements and will provide further support where needed.

Nonouti island is ready to welcome travellers

October 2, 2022 by Taare Rikiai

The Tourism Authority of Kiribati (TAK) conducted a four-day Tourism Restart Program training to all tourism businesses in Nonouti island from 23 – 28 September 2022.

The trainings included Tourism and Hospitality for the new normal, Tourism Business Fundamental and Revenue Management, delivered by Tourism Officer Training, Ms. Monika Rikita.

The Tourism Business Fundamental covered recommendations for revamping business concepts and services offered through marketing and human resources capacity development programs. The Revenue Management training included best practices for managing revenue effectively as well as revenue forecast.

The COVID-19 safety protocol training highlighted the need for tourism business operators to protect its employees and guests from the threat of the virus through a pre-determined set of safety procedures set by the Ministry of Health & Medical Services (MHMS).

A total of eleven (11) participants from different organizations and communities participated in the training. Seven (7) of them were fishing guides, one (1) tour guide, one (1) from Nonouti Island guest house, one (1) from Catholic Parish and one (1) from Abamakoro Islet.

Since border reopening, TAK is encouraging all participants to apply what they have learnt from the training for their guests and employee safety.

Tourism Authority Kiribati