Survey

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.