Stats – Page 4 – Kaongora Newsletter

TAK participates in the Regional Tourism Statistic workshop

March 30, 2020March 30, 2020 by Taare Rikiai

Kiribati was represented by TAK at the workshop held in Nadi Fiji, from 10^th-13^th March with the goal of developing a regional tourism statistics strategy as well as a regional sustainable tourism framework for the Pacific.

The first 2 days of the workshop aimed at validating the findings from a regional assessment of tourism statistical systems and getting feedback from the countries on the recommendations and actions to improve tourism statistical systems at regional and national level.

The assessment was carried out by PARIS21 – a global partnership of statistics experts and policy makers seeking to improve evidence-based decision making in developing countries in collaboration with the Pacific Tourism Organisation. The assessment was carried out in October and November of 2019 and the draft report was presented for validation at the workshop.

The last 2 days of the workshop aimed at obtaining stakeholder feedback on the long-term vision and priorities that will underpin the development of a regional sustainable tourism framework for the Pacific.

The outcomes from the workshops will be endorsed at the SPTO Board of Directors meeting later in the year.

Representatives from 11 SPTO-member National Tourism Organizations and selected National Statistics Offices were present at the workshop along with 6 partners which include PARIS21, the Asian Development Bank, The Pacific Community, the United Nations Development Programme (Pacific Office, Suva), the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific and the Australia Pacific Training Coalition.

The workshop was jointly funded by PARIS21, SPTO, the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade and APTC.

Nikunau Integrated Vulnerability Assessment (IVA) and Tourism Business Inventory Survey (TBIS)

April 1, 2020March 30, 2020 by Taare Rikiai

The Tourism Authority of Kiribati (TAK) participated in the whole island approach-Integrated Vulnerability Assessment of Nikunau from 24 February – 04 Match 2020. The objective of the mission was to assess the vulnerabilities of the island and to collect IVA data of the impacts of climate change on the island of Nikunau. The program was coordinated by the Climate Change Office under the Office of the President and funded by the World Health Organisation (WHO).

A total of 6 villages were visited and as well as 2 communities in Nikumanu and 3 communities in Rungata.

The survey questions focused on the ecosystem, infrastructure, finance, human resources and institution or governance; forest health, coastal health, water security, security of place, energy security, income security, community health and food security. All responses were recorded in the fulcrum-based app on tablets supplied by the Office of te Beretitenti.

Whilst in the island, TAK staff officer undertook a Tourism Business Inventory Survey (TBIS) conducted on the island which involved the database update of accommodation providers on Nikunau and GPS (Global Positioning System) of accommodation, historical sites, churches and other points of interest in the island. The two accommodation providers in the island are the Catholic Parish Guesthouse and the KUC Tabutoa Guesthouse.

All information gathered will be used by TAK to help promote tourism development on the island.

Tourism Business Inventory Survey in North Tarawa

March 24, 2020 by Taare Rikiai

Tourism Survey at North Tarawa

Tourism Authority of Kiribati conducted the annual Tourism Business Inventory Survey (TBIS) of accommodations in North Tarawa on Thursday 19 March 2020.

The purpose of the survey was to collect and update information and data on facilities and services available in North Tarawa. The collected data is used to update TAK’s accommodation database which is a key source of accommodation information managed by the Research and Statistics Division.

Information and data collected from TBIS includes number of rooms, beds, staff count, facilities, amenities and activities provided by each property.

Nine (9) properties were surveyed on the day and they included the Ocean View Hotel, Moturerei Legend, Taborio Guesthouse, Eutan Buariki Guesthouse, Tarabuka Hideaway Guesthouse, Uaai Island Getaway, Tabuki Retreat, Santa Faustina Homestay and Tabon Te Keeke.

Surveyed properties range from locally built huts with open Kiakia (local raised house), meeting house (Maneaba) and concrete with local thatched roof.

The survey results showed that some properties had undertaken improvement works by providing more guest activities and upgraded/ renovated their rooms and Kiakia over the last 12 months.

North Tarawa properties are spread across the lagoon side of the atoll and have the comparative advantage of the beautiful lagoon views and its turquoise color and proximity to local communities.

TOURISM BUSINESS & INVENTORY SURVEY 2020: TBIS for South Tarawa conducted on 14-15 January 2020

January 25, 2020 by Taare Rikiai

The Research and Statistics team from TAK met with all accommodation providers on South Tarawa from January 14^th – 15^th to conduct the annual Tourism Business & Inventory Survey (TBIS). The TBIS collects and updates our database on the number of accommodations available, number of beds, staff training needs, along with the accommodation services, facilities and contact information.

Another key component of the TBIS is updating our images of the various properties so our promotional materials are as updated as possible with the latest pictures and information regarding any upgrades made over the past 12 months by the properties.

Over the coming weeks, the TBIS will be carried out in the outer islands of the Gilbert Group.

The TBIS methodology consists of one on one interviews with a senior hotel staff or the owner and taking photos of the rooms, common areas, facilities and extra features which, the properties feel that need promoting such as solar panels, gardens, non-motorized water activity equipment and others. The survey was conducted only on accommodations that provide housekeeping services as this fall under the definition of a ‘hotel’. Rental homes and apartments without regular housekeeping services were not surveyed.

Furthermore, this year is the first time a Climate Change and Biodiversity component has been added to our survey to gauge how the properties feel they are affected by climate change and also the measures they are taking to mitigate these impacts.

A total of 11 accommodation providers were surveyed on South Tarawa.

Pacific Tourism Statistics Assessment PARIS21 – SPTO collaboration on the preparation of Pacific Tourism Statistics Strategy 2020 – 2024

November 10, 2019October 30, 2019 by Taare Rikiai

Back to News Homepage

The South Pacific Tourism Organization (SPTO), Paris 21 and the TAK met with various Government offices and a private sector business from October 21^st – 23^rd to discuss statistics and data related issues and concerns on tourism as part of the project on “Pacific Tourism Statistics Assessment, a collaboration between SPTO, Paris 21 and member countries.

Partnership in Statistics for Development in the 21^st Century (PARIS21) promotes the better use and management of statistics throughout the developing world.

The assessment will involve site visits in only six of the fifteen selected case study Pacific Island countries (PICs) from October to December. The countries to be visited are Fiji, Kiribati, New Caledonia, Cook Islands, Niue and Tonga. For the other PICs, desk research and interviews by Skype and phone calls will be conducted. Countries were selected based on a fair representation of the Pacific Islands sub-regions of Melanesia, Polynesia, and Micronesia as well as the different market segments, source markets, depth of tourism statistics development and the number of arrivals.

Pacific Tourism Statistics Assessment PARIS21 - SPTO collaboration on the preparation of Pacific Tourism Statistics Strategy 2020 - 2024

Mr. Mark Lound, a Regional Consultant on Tourism Statistics engaged by Paris21 and Mr. Kotoyawa Tamani, SPTO Tourism Officer, met with the Immigration Office, National Statistics Office, National Economic Planning Office, Climate Finance Division, Coastal Fisheries Division, Tobaraoi, LINNIX, Education, Environment Conservation Division, Public Health Division and Customs.

The results of the assessment will inform the design of the regional tourism statistics strategy that would align with the development priorities on tourism in the region as articulated in the Strategic Plan 2020-2024 and will support the data needs of the strategy.

The overall objective of the project is to design a regional strategy for the strengthening of tourism statistics in the Pacific to align with the policy priorities on tourism in the region and support data needs of the SPTO’s 2020-2024 Strategic Plan. This assessment report on tourism statistics in the Pacific is expected to be completed in March 2020.

Tourism Authority Kiribati