Tourism Authority Kiribati

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Capacity Building

Kiritimati Hotels complete COVID-19 safety training.

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90% of the total employees of Kiritimati Island hotels and accommodation providers have now completed the Kiribati Tourism & Hospitality Protocols for the New Normal training funded through the US Embassy’s Economic Recovery Grant.

The Kiribati Tourism & Hospitality Protocols for the New Normal is a set of COVID-19 safety protocols and guidelines for tourism enterprises. Developed in consultation with the Ministry of Health & Medical Services (MHMS), the protocols cover accommodation, transport, restaurant and bars, employee safety and the safe disposal of COVID-19 related waste.

The Inn Pacific, established in February 2020 was the latest Kiritimati accommodation provider to undergo the two-day COVID-19 safety protocol training by the Tourism Authority of Kiribati (TAK) on 30 and 31 December 2021.

The remaining 10% of tourism employees in Kiritimati will undergo their COVID-19 protocol training in January 2022.

Tourism Restart Program rolled out in Kiritimati Island

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The announcement by His Excellency, Te Beretitenti, Taneti Maamau in September to open Kiribati’s borders in January 2022 has prompted the Tourism Authority of Kiribati (TAK) to begin rolling out its Tourism Restart Program in Kiritimati Island.

A key component to the Kiribati Restart Program is the Kiribati Tourism & Hospitality Protocols for the New Normal, a set of safety protocols designed to assist tourism business operators to protect their guests and staffs against the threat of COVID-19 when borders reopen in January 2022.

The training was delivered on the 20th and 21st of October at the Inn Pacific Motel, Kiritimati and was attended by accommodation providers from around the island.

In his official address, the Minister for Line & Phoenix Islands Development (MLPID) Honorable Mikarite Temari urged the tourism operators to take the training seriously. He encouraged participants to capture as much as possible from these safety protocols.

He said that “as frontline staff, the future of border reopening for Kiritimati depends on how confident and ready you are to receive international visitors”.

Honourable Temari added that MLPID plans to have Kiritimati be the first to open its international border however this will depend on COVID0-19 safety protocols compliance by all tourism business operators.

Participants of the workshop included employees from the Villages hotel, Lagoon View hotel, Inn Pacific motel, Mauri Delights apartment, Sunset Horizon Fishing Lodge, The Little Flower Guesthouse and Ikari house.

The training included simulation exercises on each recommended protocol to allow participants to better grasp the significance of the compliance measures, particularly since Kiritimati has been COVID-19 safe since the pandemic broke out. Participants will also be assisted with a supply of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).

In thanking the trainers, Mr Bureieta from the Village Hotel shared that all tourism operators in Kiritimati look forward to the reopening of the border as the hotel industry has been the most affected during this pandemic. He also expressed that they were equally conscious of the risks of COVID- 19 and will ensure that they are all fully compliant and well prepared for the reopening.

The protocol and training were funded through the US Embassy’s Economic Recovery Grant and supported by the Ministry of Health & Medical Services (MHMS) and the Kiribati Chamber of Commerce & Industry (KCCI).

 

COVID-19 protocol Training in Abaiang

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The Tourism Authority of Kiribati (TAK) in partnership with the Kiribati Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) conducted its Kiribati Tourism & Hospitality Protocols for the New Normal training for tourism operators in Abaiang island on Friday 20 August 2021.

The training is part of TAK’s tourism restart program and is focused on educating tourism businesses on COVID-19 travel safety protocols and assist them to comply with these protocols one Kiribati’s international borders reopen.

The one-day training was attended by representatives from Terau Beach Bungalow, Ocean Breeze Bungalow, Abaiang Island Council Guest House, and Teirio Retreat.

Funded the US Embassy’s Economic Recovery Fund, the training also included the provision of PPEs to each participating tourism operator.  Similar training is also planned for Kiritimati and outer islands of the Gilbert and Line islands.

NZTRI conducts workshop on data analysis

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The New Zealand Tourism Research Institute (NZTRI) conducted a virtual workshop on Statistical Package for the Social Science (SPSS) for the Tourism Authority of Kiribati (TAK) and Planning Division of the Ministry of Information, Communication, Transport and Tourism Development (MICTTD) on  21 July 2021.

This was a third of a series of capacity building workshops on online survey design, distribution, collection, and data analysis and is part of Phase 2 of the Pacific Tourism Data Initiative (PTDI) funded by New Zealand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFAT).

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 participants were taken through the basics of SPSS interface to understand how to use SPSS and perform tasks such as data cleaning and transforming variables.

The SPSS workshop was a follow on from workshops 1 in April 2021 (Designing Surveys) and 2 in May 2021 (Online survey software – Qualtrics).

Tourism operators encouraged to use EFTPOS

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The Tourism Authority of Kiribati (TAK), in collaboration with the ANZ Bank Kiribati conducted an Electronic Funds Transfer at Point of Sale (EFTPOS) training for North and South Tarawa accommodation operators on Thursday 29th July 2021, at Mary’s Motel Conference Room.

The training was conducted as part of the Kiribati Tourism and Hospitality Protocols for the New Normal, which encourages a non-contact and cashless payment system for all tourism operators.

The training also raised awareness on the benefits that EFTPOS payment options have for guests and how it can be used to improve yields and payment recovery for hotels and accommodation providers.

Participants of the training were made up mainly of operators that currently do not offer EFTPOS payment options and TAK plans to conduct the same training for tourism operators in the outer islands.

The training was conducted by ANZ Digital & Channel Management Manager, Mr. Mwea Timeon.

Resorts receive pastry & bakery training

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The Tourism Authority of Kiribati (TAK) conducted a one-week pastry and bakery training for resorts in Buariki, North Tarawa from 22 – 27 January 2021.

The training was part of TAK’s capacity building initiative through its Reset Kiribati program to help tourism service providers upskill their employees during the current border closure.

Participants to this training were from the Nemat Resort, Eutan Buariki Guesthouse, and Tarabuka Hideaway Lodge.

With the current high demand in domestic travel to North Tarawa, TAK hopes that the training will help these resorts offer their guests more variety. These include freshly baked croissants, mini milo ball, chocolate cake, stripped coconut bread, cinnamon rolls, bun with filling, donut cream, chocolate bread, coconut tart, and coconut cake.

TAK had provided similar training to other properties in South Tarawa, Maiana, Nonouti, and Abemama and plans to hold similar trainings in other islands the Gilbert group.

Boat Safety and First Aid Training in Abemama

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The Tourism Authority of Kiribati (TAK) in partnership with Marine Division and the Kiribati Red Cross Society conducted Boat Safety and First Aid Training in Abemama from 02nd – 23rd November 2020.

The training was part of TAK capacity building development program funded by the LDCF-1 project to support the game fishing, established as an ecotourism venture on the island.

Abemama is one of the pilot islands, under the LDCF-1 project that has the potential for game fishing market. The training on boat safety and first aid offered, were to equip the people of Abemama with right skills and knowledge required for the safety and wellbeing of an anglers or anyone should they encounter any problem at sea or at their hotels and to prepare them when the island is opened up to international markets for fly-fishing games or for any tourist visiting Abemama island.

Participants who attended boat safety training were boat owners while first aid training was attended by tour guides and accommodation providers.

Another key component of the project is to help generate income from the coastal zone resources sustainably and to motivate the locals to practice coastal fisheries conservation.

The training was also an opportunity to encourage Abemama communities to value their marine environments as means to build resilience against climate change condition and improve visitor experiences.

The mission was funded by the Food Security project which is supported by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) -Least Developed Countries Fund (LDCF) through the United Nations Development Programme, and executed by the Environment and Conservation Division under the Ministry of Environment, Lands and Agriculture Development.     

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.

Handicraft training important for tourism

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47 women representing 12 women’s organisations affiliated with Aia Mwaea Ainen Kiribati (AMAK) in Tarawa received traditional Kiribati handicraft training as part of TAK’s 2020 World Tourism Day celebration on Thursday 24 September at the Tenimanraoi Maneaba in Betio.

The Tourism Authority of Kiribati recognizes that the unique I-Kiribati culture, heritage, and identity is upheld through traditional and authentic handicraft knowledge which have been passed down over many generations. Culture plays an important role in the Kiribati visitor experience and arts such as handicraft offer travellers an insight into life in Kiribati.

The one-day training workshop introduced the participants to the art of producing traditional shell necklace, shell turtle ornaments, shell jewellery, pandanus necktie and finely crafted shell fruit bowls.

To encourage the continuity and sustainability of their newly acquired skills, TAK will work with these women to supply traditional handicraft at the Bonriki International Airport Handicraft and Visitor Information center.

The training also included presentations from the Head of Biosecurity from the Agriculture and Livestock Division, MELAD and the Director of Trade, MCIC. Their presentations were based on biosecurity criteria as well as the importance of quality and pricing of handicrafts for tourism purposes.

 

First Fishing Guide Training in Maiana

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The Tourism Authority of Kiribati (TAK) facilitated the first ever fishing guide training on Maiana Island from 17 August to 05 September 2020.

Conducted by experienced Kiritimati fishing guide, Mr. Ioran Kaiteie, the training focused on the role of a fishing guides and materials needed to carry out the role. These included techniques at a fishing flat, how to set up fishing gears, how to communicate with anglers, and how to spot bonefish. The program also included  marine resource conservation through a non-consumptive approach to reduce the vulnerability of their marine ecosystem

This training was a preparatory assistance for Maiana’s international fly-fishing market.

 

Maiana Mayor, Mrs Rebite Taakeimoa expressed her gratitude for the training and trusts that the new acquired knowledge and skills will be useful to the island in the future.

The 25 training participants also believe that their training will have economic benefits for their families and communities once international travel resumes.  They are also confident that the activity would support enhancing the resilience and livelihood of communities to lessen overharvesting of bonefish and other game fishing species against the unpredictable effects of climate change.

The program was funded by the ‘LDCF’ project which is supported by the Global Environment Facility-Least Developed Countries Fund and the United Nations Development Programme, and executed through the Environment and Conservation Division under the Ministry of Environment, Lands and Agriculture Development.