Survey – Kaongora Newsletter

Empowering Tourism: Unveiling Kiribati’s Business Confidence Insights

December 5, 2024 by Taare Rikiai

The Tourism Authority of Kiribati, in collaboration with the Pacific Tourism Organisation (SPTO), has released its first-ever Kiribati Business Confidence Index (BCI) Report. The report is based on a month-long survey conducted from October 1st to October 31st, capturing the views of local businesses on the impact and benefits of tourism in Kiribati. This comprehensive survey provides a valuable snapshot of the current business climate and offers insights into the opportunities and challenges faced by the tourism sector in Kiribati.

This marks the first time Kiribati has sought the perspectives of local businesses, making it the inaugural BCI report. In the past, Kiribati has gathered insights from international visitors through the International Visitor Survey and has also sought the views of residents. This year, through the Pacific Tourism Data Initiative (PTDI) project coordinated by the SPTO, Kiribati has successfully collected insights from local businesses regarding the tourism sector.

The report highlights several key findings. An overwhelming majority of businesses (82%) expressed a need for customer service training and business growth education, reflecting a keen interest in enhancing their service delivery and expanding operations. Additionally, 12% also mentioned that improved in internet connectivity is also major opportunities for their business.
Improved customer service and natural attractions were also cited as significant opportunities, each garnering interest from 11% of respondents. The importance of networking was equally highlighted, suggesting that businesses see value in building stronger connections within the tourism sector.

The report reveals a broad agreement among businesses, many of whom acknowledge that tourism is a key driver of the Kiribati economy. This consensus highlights the pivotal role tourism plays in supporting local businesses and boosting regional economic growth.

The report also highlights the impact of COVID-19 on businesses. Interestingly, it shows that the majority, 31%, were not significantly affected by the COVID-19 lockdown. This finding underscores the resilience of many local businesses during the pandemic.

Overall, the Kiribati BCI Report serves as a crucial tool for policymakers, stakeholders, and investors. It not only highlights the current state of the tourism industry in Kiribati but also points to the areas where interventions and support can drive growth and sustainability. As Kiribati continues to develop its tourism offerings, the insights from this report will be instrumental in shaping strategies that enhance the sector’s contributions to the national economy and improve the livelihoods of local communities.

The Tourism Authority of Kiribati would like to extend its heartfelt gratitude to the Pacific Tourism Organisation and the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, the Ministry of Tourism, Commerce and Industry, cooperatives, and local businesses in Kiribati for their unwavering support throughout the duration of the survey. Your collaboration and dedication have been instrumental in the successful completion of this significant initiative. Thank you for your continued partnership and commitment to the advancement of tourism in Kiribati.

You can view the Kiribati BCI report here

Kiribati Tourism Industry Review 2023

November 7, 2024 by Taare Rikiai

In 2023, Kiribati experienced and welcomed its first resumption of tourism & travel arrivals marking the arrival of cruise ships after the border closure since the COVID-19 period. A total of 5118 cruise passengers were welcomed in Kiribati for the first time after the COVID-19 lockdown.

The first part of the report highlights important events and key activities that TAK has accomplished which ranged from the establishment of the sustainable tourism policy, preparations for cruise ship arrivals, and TAK’s participation in regional and international expos.

The reports also captured the increase in international arrivals to Kiribati when compared to the previous year 2022. An increase of 364% which doubled the international arrival figure in 2022.

This increase was caused by the resumption of regular flights to Kiribati from Fiji Airways and Nauru Airlines. The reports also provide an average length of stay by purpose of visit and by nationality which shows which country spends more nights in Kiribati. Corporate visitors stayed the longest with 15 nights.

Domestic tourism travel by sea increased by 25% when compared to 2022 marine travel while domestic travel by air also decreased by 5%.

The report further provides the number of visitors visiting the Museum and the main purpose of their visits.
The growth in tourism supply was also stated in the reports with a breakdown of the number of female staff and male staff currently working at accommodations in Kiribati.

TAK continued to give its acknowledgement to the following Ministries and companies for their continued support and contributions to the report, Air Kiribati Limited; the Marine Guard; the Immigration department, Shipping Agencies of Kiribati, Kiribati Customs Office and the tourism operators and accommodations that supplied data for the purpose of this report.

You can view the full report here

Quarter 2 2024 Tourism Review in Kiribati

November 5, 2024 by Taare Rikiai

The Tourism Authority of Kiribati has released its Quarter 2 Tourism Industry Review for 2024, showcasing significant growth. The report highlights a 12% increase in international visitors compared to the same period in 2023, totalling 2,287 visitors. However, this marks a 6% decrease compared to the first quarter of 2024. Visitors from the Pacific Islands led with 28%, followed by Australia at 21% and the USA at 19%. Corporate travel was the primary reason for international arrivals, accounting for 41% of the total, while leisure travel made up 28%.

Domestic air travel within Kiribati showed a strong upward trend, with Abemama, Marakei, and Abaiang being the top most visited islands. Despite no yacht arrivals in June, the quarter recorded five yachts, indicating sustained international interest.

Marine passenger travel saw a slight decrease, with 9,663 passengers recorded, down by 3% from the previous quarter. Abaiang Island had the highest number of marine passengers, followed by North Tarawa and Maiana. Museum visits surged dramatically, with 629 visitors representing a 71% increase compared to the previous quarter (quarter 1 2024).

Accommodation facilities remained stable, with 73 hotels operating across the islands. North Tarawa had the highest number of accommodations, followed by South Tarawa and Kiritimati Island. A total of 721 rooms and 1,384 beds were available, with a significant share in the Gilberts Group.

TAK extends its appreciation to Air Kiribati Ltd, the Marine Guard Division, the Immigration Department, Te Umwanibong Cultural Museum, the Kiribati Customs Administration and Enforcement, and local tourism operators for their invaluable contributions to this comprehensive assessment of Kiribati’s tourism sector.

You may find the reports here.

Kiribati International Visitor Survey Unveils Insights: Culture, Friendliness, and Unique Experiences Draw Tourists

October 3, 2024October 1, 2024 by Taare Rikiai

The Pacific Tourism Organization (SPTO) has released the Kiribati International Visitor Survey (IVS) for the period January to June 2024. The survey offers valuable insights into the profiles, preferences, and satisfaction levels of international visitors, contributing to a better understanding of the Kiribati tourism industry.

Key highlights from the report reveal that most visitors to Kiribati came from Australia (36%), Fiji (17%), and New Zealand (13%). The average visitor was aged between 45 and 54 years, with household incomes ranging from USD65,000 to USD115,000. Business travel was the main purpose for visiting Kiribati, accounting for 40% of the total, while 18% visited for holidays and 11% to see friends or relatives.

Visitors spent an average of 7 nights in Kiribati, with South Tarawa (63%) and North Tarawa (31%) being the most popular destinations. Pre-paid spending by visitors averaged between USD1,000 and USD1,499 per trip, with 41% of this allocated to international flights. On-island spending was largely directed toward accommodation, food and beverage, and domestic travel.

Visitor satisfaction was high, with the friendliness of the I-Kiribati people, airport services, and overall service quality receiving the best ratings. However, the survey also highlighted areas needing improvement, including accommodations, infrastructure, and the cleanliness of the environment. Despite these challenges, a majority of visitors expressed their willingness to return and recommend Kiribati as a travel destination.

The IVS was made possible through the support of the Pacific Tourism Development Initiative (PTDI), led by the SPTO Research Team, with generous funding from the New Zealand Government.

TAK also acknowledges the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Immigration (MFAI), particularly its Immigration Division, for their assistance in providing the visitor email database, enabling the IVS to be distributed through email invitations.

The Kiribati IVS is an ongoing survey, and the next report will be the Kiribati IVS 2024 Report which will cover the months of January – December 2024.

A special thanks to all the visitors who have shared their valuable insights, which have significantly enriched this report.

You may access the report here.

SPTO Releases Findings of the Kiribati Community Attitude Survey 2024

October 3, 2024October 1, 2024 by Taare Rikiai

The Pacific Tourism Organization (SPTO) has officially released the results of the Kiribati Community Attitudes Survey (CAS) 2024, a comprehensive study designed to capture the perceptions of residents on tourism’s impacts. The annual survey, conducted from July to August 2024, aimed to understand how communities in Kiribati experience tourism and their views on better preparing for its future impacts.

Responses were gathered via both paper-based and online survey links across South Tarawa, Kiritimati, and Nonouti Island, yielding 271 valid responses from the 293 received. 98% of participants were I-Kiribati, with 67% having never lived overseas, reflecting a strong local perspective. The majority of responses (92%) came from the Gilbert Islands group, primarily from South Tarawa, while Kiritimati recorded the most responses in the Line group with 8%.

The findings highlighted strong support for tourism, with 100% of respondents from five islands with the most responses, excluding South Tarawa (92%), agreeing that tourism benefits Kiribati. However, concerns were raised about island cleanliness and limited accommodation availability, particularly from those who believed fewer tourists would be more manageable. There were also significantly different opinions between the genders, with more men (90%) than women (78%) supporting an increase in tourist numbers.

TAK would like to acknowledge the support from SPTO for analyzing the report, and the assistance from the Ministry of Culture and Internal Affairs (MCIA) and the Ministry of Tourism, Commerce, Industry & Cooperatives (MTCIC). Special thanks are also given to the New Zealand Government for its ongoing support of tourism development efforts in the region.

The survey culminated in a prize draw held during World Tourism Day on 27 September 2024, offering participants a chance to win a prize as part of the event’s celebration.

TAK would like to extend its sincere gratitude to the residents who participated in the survey. Your valuable input has played a crucial role in shaping the future of tourism in Kiribati.

You may access the report here.

Q4 Tourism Review 2023

May 14, 2024 by Taare Rikiai

The Tourism Authority of Kiribati has released its Quarter 4 2023 Tourism Industry Review. The reports focus on international arrivals, domestic tourism data, and other tourism-relevant data. It compares the Q4 international visitor arrivals with Q4 2019, showing the progress after the covid19.

When comparing the Q4 2019 and Q4 2023 visitor arrivals, Kiribati has received an increase in the number of visitors visiting Kiribati, an increase of 20%, due to the frequent flight to Tarawa. This has indicated a steady influx into Kiribati, however, in this quarter a drop in the number of visitors experienced, a drop of 12% when comparing it with Q3 2023.

The top source markets for this quarter were Pacific islanders 31% (721) followed by Australia 14% (329) and USA 13% (290). A new emerging market for this quarter was Other Asian countries with 9% (206) visitors.

Most visitors to Kiribati came for both business and pleasure, with Pacific nationals primarily visiting for work, while visitors from the USA and New Zealand topped the list for leisure purposes.

The report also highlights the trends in the tourism supply, domestic tourism travel, and museum visitation data to name a few which contribute to enhancing the understanding of the tourism current status.

An interesting and most captivating change in visitor trends in Q4 2023 was an increase in the average length of stay for religious visitors when compared to previous quarters. These religious visitors spend 20.7 nights which is higher than the night spend by visitors who came for other purpose of visits.

TAK would like to express its appreciation to Air Kiribati Limited, Marine Guard Division, Immigration Department, Te Umwanibong, Kiribati Customs Office, Shipping Agencies of Kiribati (SAOK), Kiribati National Statistics Office (KNSO) and Tourism operators. Their collaboration and support have been instrumental in gathering relevant data and insights, making this report a comprehensive and robust assessment of the tourism sector in Kiribati.

Tourism Business Inventory Survey and Mauri Mark Assessment on Fanning Island

April 5, 2024 by Taare Rikiai

The Tourism Authority of Kiribati (TAK) conducted the Tourism Business Inventory Survey (TBIS) and a Mauri Mark Assessment on Fanning Island from the 1st to the 4th of March 2024.
The main purpose of the TBIS is to update TAK’s database of tourism operators, which includes contact details, services offered, available facilities, number of rooms, number of employees, and more.
The survey and assessment accounted only three (3) accommodation establishments on the island, namely: Ala Belle Etoite Guesthouse, Biritita Guesthouse, and Santo Kabiriera Guesthouse.

The Mauri Mark involves the assessment of licensed accommodation providers and assesses that they meet all the required accommodation assessment criteria which include having business operation license, fire safety procedures, health and safety hygiene standards, facilities including in-room facilities, environmental sustainability practices, and guest support services.

The TAK team to Fanning Island was also accompanied by a master fishing guide from Kiritimati who assisted TAK team in conducting GPS mapping on more than 10 fishing flats on Fanning Island.

As a tourist-targeted destination next to Kiritimati Island, well known for its surf and fly-fishing grounds, Fanning has had the opportunity to recommence its domestic flights out of Kiritimati Island hence these activities by the TAK office will allow the opportunity for the island to be prepared to welcome its first international guests again.

Tourism Statistics Training to Enhance Survey Design, Data Gathering and Analysis.

December 1, 2023 by Taare Rikiai

The Pacific Tourism Organisation (SPTO) through its Pacific Tourism Data Initiative (PTDI) hosted a tourism statistics training on statistics online software tools in Tarawa from 28 November to 01 December 2023 in Betio, South Tarawa.

The 4-days training included skills enhancement in the use of statistics software including Qualtrics, a survey design software, Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS), and NVIVO, a software program used for qualitative and mixed-methods research.

SPTO Research & Statistics Manager, Mr. Prashil Parkas said, “these software applications are essential for conducting comprehensive research and analysis and will provide participants with a hands-on experience in navigating their features”.

Through the knowledge gained, TAK’s Research and Statistics team are now better equipped to design effective surveys and gather valuable insights from travellers, tourism communities and stakeholders. The training discussed a step-by-step process on the use SPSS, a statistical analysis software which empowers participants to interpret and draw meaningful conclusions from data sets.

Integral to the training was a segment on Digital Marketing Indicators delivered by SPTO Digital Marketing Officer, Mr. Atama Tamanilo. This segment provided TAK with a comprehensive understanding of how these indicators can be effectively measured and analyzed to drive strategic decision-making within the tourism sector.

The training was conducted by SPTO Research Officer, Mr. Nemani Tebana, and was attended by two representatives from the Kiribati National Statistics Office (KNSO), Ministry of Tourism, Commerce Industrial Cooperation (MTCIC), and TAK.

Kiribati Tourism Registers Positive Growth in Q3, 2023

December 4, 2023December 1, 2023 by Taare Rikiai

The Tourism Authority of Kiribati (TAK) is pleased to announce a remarkable 30% increase in international visitor arrivals in Quarter 3, 2023 compared to the same period in 2019. This substantial growth signals a strong recovery for Kiribati’s tourism sector, which was significantly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We are thrilled to witness this remarkable surge in international visitor arrivals,” stated Petero Manufolau, TAK CEO. “This growth is a testament to the resilience of Kiribati’s tourism sector and the country’s commitment to providing rewarding experience for visitors.”
Leisure and corporate travel accounted for a significant 72% of all arrivals in Q3, 2023, highlighting the country’s appeal to both business travelers and those seeking leisure getaways. Australia and the United States emerged as the top source markets, collectively representing 42% of Q3, 2023 international visitor arrivals.

The average length of stay for corporate travelers was 14.6 days, demonstrating the country’s attractiveness for extended business stays. Meanwhile, leisure travelers averaged a stay of 9 days, suggesting a growing interest in exploring the diverse attractions Kiribati has to offer.

Encouragingly, the tourism sector’s growth has also extended to the supply side. Accommodation across Kiribati increased by 7.8% compared to the previous quarter. Additionally, employment across the tourism sector expanded by a significant 54% in Q3, underscoring the sector’s positive impact on job creation.

“These developments are incredibly positive for Kiribati’s tourism industry,” remarked Manufolau. “The increasing accommodation capacity and expanding employment opportunities will undoubtedly contribute to the sector’s continued growth and success.”

As Kiribati’s tourism industry continues to develop, TAK remains committed to implementing strategies that enhance the visitor experience, promote sustainable tourism practices, and attract even more visitors to the enchanting nation.

CLICK HERE for a downloadable copy of the Q3 Report.

Kiribati Records 21% Increase in International Visitors in Quarter 2, 2023

October 2, 2023 by Taare Rikiai

The Tourism Authority of Kiribati (TAK) is pleased to announce that Kiribati recorded a 21% increase in international visitors in Quarter 2, 2023 compared to the same period in 2019. This is a positive sign for the country’s tourism industry, which is still recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Australia remained the top source market for Kiribati in Quarter 2, 2023, accounting for 17.7% of all international visitor arrivals. Pacific islanders accounted for 29.5% of total visitor arrivals, followed by New Zealand (12.4%) and the United States (11.1%).

Corporate travel topped the purpose of visit for visitors to Kiribati in this Quarter at 43% whilst leisure travel made up 31% of total travel to Kiribati. Other purposes of travel included visiting friends and relatives, business, and education.

The TAK Quarter 2, 2023 Tourism Review Report also includes data on tourism supply and demand, as well as tourism and museum data. The report contains more information and an in-depth analysis of the tourism industry in Kiribati.

TAK wishes to acknowledge the following partners for their assistance and contributions to the Quarter 2 tourism review report: Air Kiribati Limited; Marine Guard; Immigration department; Te Umwanibong; Kiribati Customs Office; Shipping Agencies of Kiribati; Kiribati National Statistics Office; and the tourism operators.

A copy of this report can be downloaded HERE.

Tourism Authority Kiribati