Product Development – Page 2 – Kaongora Newsletter

Abemama island hosts community-based tourism package tour famil

October 31, 2022 by Maaba Katirite

The island of Abemama hosted a familiarisation tour of its newly launched community-based tourism products from 14 – 17 October 2022.

Led by the Minister for Ministry of Tourism, Commerce, Industry & Cooperatives (MTCIC), Honourable Bootii Nauan, the group also included the Minister for Ministry of Infrastructure & Sustainable Energy (MISE), Honourable Willie Tokataake, New Zealand High Commissioner, H.E Andre Van Der Walt, Australian Deputy High Commissioner Mr. Tim Gill, Kiribati inbound tour operators (Kiribati Holidays and Air Kiribati), the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) country rep and senior government officials.

Arriving in Abemama via a chartered flight, the group was accorded a traditional welcome by members of Tabiang village at Abemama airport.

The group’s itinerary was based on the islands 3 days community-based tour packaged that included traditional dance entertainment by Baretoa community, an island tour of cultural shrines and historical sites. Reina community showcased their farm to table and ocean to plate tour which included babai planting demonstration and coconut tree planting. The island’s women’s group, Ainen wiikin Abemama hosted to a sumptuous lunch feast and the group concluded their activities with a tour in Abatiku islet.

The famil was an opportunity for participants to sample Abemamas’ recently launched community-based tourism product packages and offer insights and feedback through TAK on how the program could be improved to better suit traveller needs.

The activity was supported by the Kiribati LDCF Project I, funded by the Global Environment Funds (GEF) and implemented under the Environment & Conservation Division, MELAD with the support of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

Tourism Officer completes community-based tourism short course

October 3, 2022October 3, 2022 by Maaba Katirite

Tourism Authority of Kiribati (TAK) Tourism Officer Product Development Ms Kiarake Karuaki participated in the Malaysian Technical Cooperation Programme short course on “Enhancing sustainability by linking culture, nature and community through tourism”, organised by the Islamic Tourism Centre.

The course is based on Malaysian best practices and approaches on community-based tourism (CBT). It highlights the importance of linking culture, nature, and community as a CBT product, homestay program and rural development, innovative approaches to wildlife tourism and conservation, integrating marine conservation and tourism, empowering local communities through cultural tourism, culture and heritage preservation and restoration through responsible tourism.

The short course has provided Ms. Karuaki with a better insight on CBT development which contribute more to building capacity and experience for tourism product development. Learning about homestay program and how it is encouraged and implemented successfully by the Malaysian local communities was a key highlight of this course.

Key lessons attained during from the course will play an important role on how TAK can encourage and develop the homestay experience with the local island communities engaged in such a niche market.

Ms. Karuaki is playing a crucial role in developing community-based tourism products on the islands of Abemama, Nonouti, Maiana and Butaritari.

Nonouti Island community-based tourism product development progresses

October 3, 2022October 2, 2022 by Maaba Katirite

The Tourism Authority of Kiribati (TAK) conducted a community-based tourism development mission in Nonouti island from 14 – 29 of September 2022.

TAK is working with Nonouti island communities to deliver this community-based niche tourism products development that highlights the island’s pristine environment, rich culture and traditions, vibrant history and abundant marine resources.

Once completed, these community-based tourism products are envisaged to help the island address food security challenges propelled by the recent changed in climatic conditions.

The two weeks mission included niche tourism package development training, tour product packaging, pricing and product trial with Abamakoro islet and Autukia village communities. The program also gave TAK officials the opportunity to assess the skills of trained fishing guides on the island.

Councillor from Autukia village, Mr Tiikai, stated that the product trial enabled them to understand the core requirements to tourism service delivery and added that “we realise that we have to improve some parts of our package itinerary such as timing”.

This initiative will help guide Nonouti island tourism-based communities to strengthen their business and services by maximizing their revenue, upskill human resource, improve customer service, product packaging, pricing, marketing and promotions. It also aims to assist participating communities to recognise the need for the whole of island approach toward tourism and other service providers that play an important role in completing the visitor experience.

The training concluded with the product tourism trial on bone fishing and community-based products on traditional culinary experience, marine protected area tour and wildlife tour (bird watching).

The mission was supported by the Food Security Project, commonly known as the LDCF-1 which is funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) through the UNDP and managed by the Environment and Conservation Division (ECD) under the MELAD.

Community-based tourism product development progressing in Butaritari

September 1, 2022September 1, 2022 by Maaba Katirite

The Tourism Authority of Kiribati (TAK) community-based tourism product development on Butaritari island is continuing following the recent 10 days programme carried out by TAK’s Tourism Officer, Product Development Kiarake Karuaki in August 2022.

Ms. Karuaki’s recent activities involved engagement with participating communities to improve their business initiatives and service offering. To achieve this, communities participated in revenue management, customer service, Mauri Mark standards, market analysis, niche tourism products, marketing and promotions training.

Communities engaged in this product development programme includes Keuea village, Tanimaiaki village, Antekana, Ukiangang, Bikati and Sunset Isles lodge, a local accommodation provider.

Butaritari is known as the most fertile agricultural island in Kiribati and played a strategic role in the Pacific campaign of WWll. The community-based tourism products developed under this program therefore focuses on niche experiences such as WWll battlefield tours, traditional culinary experience with farm to table and reef to fork concepts, Marine Protected Areas (MPA) and conservation guided tours, mangrove forest and farming tours.

The program concluded with a trial of each product which reaffirmed to participating communities the need for a whole of island approach to tourism development on Butaritari and that service providers plays an important role in elevating visitor experiences on the island.

TAK will conduct the remaining preparatory work for the Butaritari community-based tourism development and officially launch the products for sale in November 2022.

Abemama Community-based Tourism Products Launched

August 1, 2022July 29, 2022 by Maaba Katirite

Kiribati Minister for Tourism, Commerce, Industry and Cooperatives (MTCIC), Honourable Booti Nauan led a team of government officials to launch the Abemama Island Community-based Tourism Program developed by the Tourism Authority of Kiribati (TAK) from 22 to 25 July 2022.

Abemama was selected to pilot this community-based tourism product development initiative through LDCF1 Food Security Project coordinated by the Ministry of Environment, Land and Agricultural Development (MELAD).

The launch coincides with the country’s international border reopening from 01 August 2022 which aims to make Abemama a sustainable tourism ready island that offers responsible, safe and community-based tourism experiences.

At the launch, Honorable Minister Nauan encouraged participants to continue their commitment to their tourism businesses as it will enable the island to gain international recognition for its pristine environment, turquoise lagoon, unique attractions, rich history and warm hospitality.

6 communities and an accommodation provider are part of this program, which combined and will deliver a 5-days 3-days island off the beaten track packages. Experiences offered through in these packages include cultural performances, marine-based activities, resilient farming tours and local Kiribati cuisine.

Participating communities and operator were provided with certificates of recognition for their contributions to the safe, smart and sustainable restart to tourism in Kiribati.

Abemama trials Community Tourism Product

April 21, 2022April 19, 2022 by Maaba Katirite

The Tourism Authority of Kiribati (TAK) conducted a final preparatory trial and familiarization of the Abemama Community & Island Tourism package from 19 March to 06 April 2022.

The development of niche tourism products on the island includes a combination of community-based tourism, cultural tourism, marine tourism and agritourism experiences across 4 island communities and supported by local accommodation providers and the Abemama Island Council. This project aims to use tourism as a means for island communities to address food security challenges caused by global warming and climate change.

The 5 days itinerary trial based on a sustainable tourism model on traditional and cultural practices including a traditional culinary experience focused on a farm to table and reef to fork experience concept, Marine Protected Areas tours and community and island guided tours with storytelling.

This familiarization trial will assist communities recognise the need for the whole of island approach toward tourism and other service providers that play an important role to visitor experiences. Mr Willie Itaaka from Reina village stated how the familiarization have given them confident to perform and deliver expected standard community tour experiences.

Active ecotourism communities of Reina, Baretoa, and Ainen Wiikin Abemama were also trained on revenue management areas, tourism business fundamentals, and Covid-19 tourism and hospitality protocols for health safety measurement before the opening of the boarders.

It is with anticipation that this one-week training would guide these communities in improving their business initiatives and services in maximizing and managing their revenue, compliance to the Mauri Mark standards, human resource development initiatives, customer service, market analysis, and marketing and promotions of their tourism products and services.

The training concluded with the installation of a traveller information kiosk at the airstrip terminal on the islands.

The trip was supported by the Food Security Project, commonly known as the LDCF-1 which is funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) through the UNDP and managed by the Environment and Conservation Division (ECD) under the MELAD.

Nonouti Island presents Opportunities for Tourism

January 5, 2022January 4, 2022 by Maaba Katirite

Located south of the equator, the island of Nonouti is better known for being home to Kiribati’s largest and oldest maneaba known as ‘te Aake’ or the ark.

Through the Least Developed Countries Fund (LDCF) project in the context of global climate change, Nonouti is undergoing an eco-tourism product development which aims to use tourism as a means of enhancing food security on the island.

Under this arrangement, 6 villages and communities of Nonouti underwent eco-tourism product development awareness training on how sustainable tourism development can improve the islands socio-cultural, environmental, and economic well-being.

Nonouti’s tourism potential includes its designated marine protected area tours, cultural and historical attractions, bonefishing, local culinary experiences and agritourism products.

TAK will continue to work with the 6 selected villages and communities in Nonouti to develop their own unique tourism products which should be available for travellers to experience when Kiribati’s international borders open in 2022.

South Tarawa Mauri Mark Consultations

February 26, 2021 by Maaba Katirite

The Tourism Authority of Kiribati (TAK) visited all accommodation operators on South Tarawa on 17 and 18 February 2021 and conducted one to one consultation on the revised Kiribati National Tourism Mauri Mark Standards Program.

This Mauri Mark program was initially introduced in 2008 for accommodation standard rating, has now been extended to include other tourism services such as Restaurant and Bars, Tourism Leisure Boats, Dive Operations, and an Industry wide customer service program known to be called Te Mauri Way.

Once consultations are complete, TAK will work with the relevant stakeholders to finalize the revised Mauri Mark standards guidelines and begin the compliance training for all tourism business operators.

Community tourism consultation

February 3, 2021January 29, 2021 by Maaba Katirite

The tourism Authority of Kiribati (TAK) conducted a one-week tourism awareness and community consultation as part of its product development and enhancement program in North Tarawa from 21– 28 January 2021.

The purpose of the consultation was to assist the villages better understand tourism, its economic potential,, and how they can engage in the industry through creative business alternatives that will support their livelihood.

The team visited 11 villages of Buariki, Tearinibai, Nuatabu, Taratai, Nooto, Abaokoro, Marenanuka, Tabonibara, Kainaba, Nabeina and Tabiteuea.

During the consultation, the villages were provided with information on how small-scale eco-tourism businesses work, their economic and socio-cultural benefits, and its contribution to environmental conservation. The villages were also encouraged to be part of the important local tourism supply chain network.

The consultations included a video presentation of the pilot Reina community based cultural tour project to help the villages better grasp the idea of sustainable community-based tourism and how they can apply that in their local setting.

Feedback from the consultations was positive and TAK will return to North Tarawa to work with interested villages and assist them in developing their own unique eco-tourism programs.

Abemama Island and Food Security

November 30, 2020November 30, 2020 by Maaba Katirite

The Tourism Authority of Kiribati team had visited Abemama from the 1st to the 16^th of November 2020 for a follow-up on development of eco-tourism products through assisting local communities on ways to enhance food security in the context of global climate change using the tourism sector.

The team conducted consultations with active communities and villages on existing and new eco-tourism products for industry partnership development. Agri-domestic skills supporting traditional culinary practices and experiences have incentivise communities with initiatives within the tourism industry at communities based levels.

Abatiku islet had been declared and recognized as a Marine Protected Area to conserve and safeguard marine resources for the welfare and wellbeing of its inhabitants. Reina and Baretoa villages and other factories Development have passed the trial of partnership in outsourcing skills and knowledge to future visitors and tourists on the preservation of food against the impacts of climate change. An official from Tourism, Ms Kiarake Karuaki stated how these activities have motivated communities in Abemama to be prepared toward challenges of food security as climate change unfolds.

A spokesman, Mr Iotebwa Etuati appreciated more alternatives introduced to them, through the tourism industry as a source of revenue and sustainable development. This trip had offered first hand experiences for participants and targeted communities in generating strategies toward food security.

The trip 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.

Tourism Authority Kiribati