Press Releases

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.

New Bungalows in Abemama

Abemama Island’s position as an ideal tourism destination has been boosted with opening of new island bungalows at Binoinano village in Tabontebike.  Run by the Santo Antonio Catholic Parish, this new establishment features 6 overwater bungalows (buia), a communal kitchen, traditional resting area, and a convenience store.

The bungalows have been beautifully designed and built using local materials contributed by church groups (makoro) from each village. Construction took up to 3 months and the bungalows can accommodate up to 20 guests.

Head Catechist of Santo Antonio Parish shared that the official opening celebration of the bungalows was low key as the church is currently observing the season of lent.

Head Catechist added that “this opening marks the first part of the project.  There are plans to extend further out onto the lagoon to build more bungalows this year and accommodate more visitors.

The Parish is keen to work with the Tourism Authority of Kiribati (TAK) to develop accommodation packages, build capacity for its employees and market and promote the destination.  TAK congratulates the Santo Antonio Catholic Parish on their community tourism initiative and looks forward to working with them to grow tourism to Abemama.

Tourism Authority of Kiribati (TAK) Senior Marketing and Promotion Officer, Ms Sarah Teetu, has completed the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) Tourism Promotion and Marketing online virtual training course under the JICA Knowledge Co-Creation Program (KCCP) for the JFY2020. The virtual training was held from 15 – 26 February 2021.

The course offered practical insights and effective steps that can be adopted in the Kiribati context especially on its domestic market and reset marketing strategy.

Ms Teetu stated that “the training has also assisted me in understanding practical information on proposed mitigation strategies against covid-19 crisis and recovery planning”. She added that her the training will assist her as she leads the development of TAK’s digital marketing strategy and destination marketing plan.

Participants to the course included tourism employees from the Pacific, South East Asia and Latin American.

The Tourism Promotion and Marketing course is one of the many that JICA offers Kiribati annually and TAK is indebted to them for their commitment to building tourism management capacity for TAK.

The Tourism Authority of Kiribati (TAK) through the Kiribati Tourism Plastic Repurposing Programme has won the Best Strategy in Creative Tourism Development category in the 2020 Creative Tourism Awards organised by the World Creative Tourism Network.

In an official letter to the Kiribati Minister for Information, Communications, Transport and Tourism Development (MICTTD), Honourable Tekeeua Tarati, the World Creative Tourism Network stated that the international jury, composed of experts in tourism, marketing and creative industries, assumed the heavy task to select the winners among a total of 184 applications, from 37 countries and highlighted the pioneering approach of the Tourism Authority of Kiribati. The main criteria were the use of creativity to design unique experiences and to create an ecosystem at a local scape.

The jury of Creative Tourism Awards highlighted the pioneering strategy designed by TAK to convert a negative externality – plastic contamination into a value chain for the whole territory in terms of inclusiveness, social cohesion, economic reactivation, heritage recovery, destination’s attractiveness, among many others. The committee also highlighted TAK’s sustainable approach in relying on circular economy, creativity, and communities’ engagement to reinvent its tourism, offering unique experiences, and especially in a pandemic context and the TAK’s excellence in betting on creativity and quality in designing experiences that enhance the cultural heritage and local identity.

Upon receiving the award, Hon. Tekeeua Tarati congratulated the Tourism Authority of Kiribati for the innovative initiative and said that “being a tiny nation on the map, this success will help promote Kiribati to the world”. He added that “the TAK led program not only addresses the challenge of solid waste management in Kiribati, but also showcases Kiribati’s creativity in the art of handicraft and jewellery making, something that appeals greatly to our visitors”.

The Director of the Creative Tourism Network®, Caroline Couret, pointed out “the added value of these awardees, in a year in which creative tourism has demonstrated how creativity and human resources are essential.” The winners will benefit from the international promotion of the Creative Tourism Network®, as well as strategic collaborations and synergies through 2021, declared “International Year of Creative Economy and Sustainable Development” by the United Nations.

Tourism Authority of Kiribati CEO, Petero Manufolau acknowledged the invaluable contribution and support of the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat’s (PIFS) Small Island States Division and the South Pacific Tourism Organisation (SPTO) to the program. TAK also acknowledges the guidance of Pacific renowned artist, Warwick Marlow.

The Kiribati Tourism Plastic Repurposing Program was launched in South Tarawa in December 2020 and TAK plans to introduce this program to other islands throughout the country.

The Tourism Authority of Kiribati (TAK) in partnership with the Pacific Tourism Organization (SPTO), launched the region’s first Pacific Tourism Waste Action Initiative Virtual Training on Monday 14 December 2020 at the AMAK Centre in Bikenibeu, Tarawa.

Funded through the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat’s (PIFS) CROP Attachment Programme, the training focuses on plastic repurposing activities that contribute to the conservation and protection of marine ecosystems.

The plastic repurposing training also aims to improve community and stakeholder awareness of the importance of improved plastic waste management by turning plastic waste into a useful resource.

The training is based on an inclusive approach in tourism focused on strengthening community engagement and participation in the tourism industry in programs that sustains incomes generation and improve understanding of community’s role in looking after their environment.

The 30 participants of this training represent a diverse section of the Kiribati community’s including, Women’s Association, Nei Mom Uprising, Disabled community, LGBTQI and local artists.

In his official opening address, the Minister of Communication, Information, Transport and Tourism Development, Honourable Tekeeua Tarati said that, “the Government of Kiribati is committed and will continue to implement measures aimed at boosting tourism sector revenue’. He added that “innovative trainings as such are great examples that has our greatest support to help ensure economic benefits of tourism are realized across all communities in Kiribati”.

At the end of the first day of training, Pacific renowned artist and trainer, Mr. Warwick Marlow, commended the participant’s enthusiasm and passion expressed through their craft designs. From his observations, Mr. Marlow is confident that he will see more of Kiribati’s unique handicraft making skills over the next 4 days.

The training will end with a mini exhibition of all developed crafts on Friday 18 December 2020.

The Tourism Authority of Kiribati joined international volunteer organization Australian Volunteers Program (AVP), Volunteer Services Abroad (VSA) and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) to celebrate International Volunteers Day on Friday 04 December 2020 at the Dreamers Lodge in Ambo, South Tarawa.

Hosted by AVP, the program was attended by selected organizations across Tarawa that have benefited from international volunteer assistance.

In welcoming guests, AVP Regional Director, David Jones, who connected via zoom from the Solomon Islands, acknowledged and thanked beneficiary organizations, their families and the people of Kiribati for their warmth and generosity in always making their volunteers welcome in Kiribati.

COVID-19 has affected the 3 volunteer organizations ability to assign volunteers in-country, however their commitment to extending valuable technical assistance to local organizations remain intact and they look forward to resuming these once borders reopen.

In thanking the event hosts, TAK CEO Petero Manufolau acknowledged that COVID-19 presents a unique opportunity for volunteer organizations to look at ways to embrace the new normal. To this note, he confirmed that TAK is currently in discussion with AVP to engage an offsite volunteer to assist the organization in areas such digital marketing.

The event concluded with beneficiary organizations sharing their experiences and a sumptuous lunch catered from by the Dreamers Lodge.

Tourism Authority of Kiribati (TAK), in partnership with the Australia Pacific Training Coalition (APTC) conducted a virtual and one on one briefing workshop for enrolled participants of the APTC online Micro-Credential courses on 03 December 2020 at the Vodafone boardroom in Bairiki.

The workshop assisted students with their online registration, and it was an opportunity for both APTC and TAK to attend to student queries.

An initial focus group of forty (40) individuals were targeted undertake these courses which are fully funded by UNDP with support from the government of Japan. However, an overwhelming total of 169 Ikiribati expressed their interest, all of whom have been enrolled into either one or both the courses – Digital Literacy Essentials and Communication Technologies for Business Success.

Students are given until 31 March 2021 to complete the courses and TAK is committed to working with APTC to ensure that all enrolled students are assisted and aims to achieve a 100% completion rate for Kiribati.