Survey – Page 2 – Kaongora Newsletter

TAK releases Kiribati Tourism Industry Review, Q2 – 2022

August 31, 2022 by Maaba Katirite

The Tourism Authority of Kiribati (TAK) has released the Kiribati Tourism Industry Review for the second quarter of 2022.

The report reveals that domestic air travel reduced by 22% compared to the previous quarter. Maritime domestic travel grew by 52% compared to Q1 2022.

Employment in the tourism industry also increased by 0.7% from the previous quarter. Room and bed inventory increased by 3% and 1% respectively for the same period.

Other tourism related data are also presented in the report including tourism employment by gender, most visited outer islands, international arrivals and departures.

TAK wishes to acknowledge the contributions of Air Kiribati Limited, the Marine Guard, Immigration department and the tourism and accommodation operators that supplied data for the purpose of this report.

Click here to view the report.

Outer Island Perception Survey (OIPS) Presentation in Butaritari

June 23, 2022 by Maaba Katirite

The Tourism Authority of Kiribati (TAK) through its Research and Statistics Division presented the Butaritari Outer Island Perception Survey (OIPS) report to the island council Mayor, Acting Clerk, Te Unimwane Chairman and other local people who attended the TAK workshop on tourism product development in Butaritari.

The presentation highlighted the key points of the Butaritari OIPS results which analysed after the survey was conducted on the island in August 2021. The results highlighted the local peoples’ perceptions on tourism on Butaritari. It simplified the data in an understandable format, especially since many of the audience were did not have tourism or statistics backgrounds.

The presentation further outlined what the people thought were the impacts of tourism to their communities. Important areas such as the island’s tourism potential and uniqueness which distinguished it from the rest of Kiribati were also discussed.

Lastly the ways forward on developing Butaritari to becoming a sustainable tourism destination were also shared with the audience.

It is hoped that this information will be shared with the community members by those that were present at the presentations.

Tabiteuea South Outer Island Perceptions (OIPS) Survey Report

May 30, 2022 by Maaba Katirite

TAK has released the Tabiteuea South (Tab South) OIPS report which contains interesting information and data on how the people of Tab South feel about tourism.

The data was collected through a series of face to face interviews with the locals of Tab South in November 2021. The respondents’ ages ranged from 22 -67 years with a gender split of 70% female and 30% male. 20 individuals were interviewed.

The survey measured income from tourism products sold as well as tourism activities and attractions that the people felt were available to visitors.

This report hopes to expose any gaps in the tourism sector on Tab South and identify pathways for TAK, the Island Council and the communities to work together to bridge these gaps and present Tab South to the rest of the world as a truly unique tourism destination.

The survey targets all outer islands except Tarawa and Kiritimati which are considered the ‘urban’ centres of Kiribati. This is the 8^th report of its kind and the survey results are shared first with the respective Full Council meeting before it is circulated to other stakeholders and the general public.

Makin Outer Island Perceptions (OIPS) Survey Report

April 28, 2022 by Maaba Katirite

The Tourism Authority of Kiribati (TAK) has completed its report on the Makin Outer Island Perception Survey (OPIS).

The OIPS is conducted by TAK across all the Gilbert outer islands and in Teraina (Washington Island) and Tabuaeran (Fanning Island) to gauge islander’s perceptions on tourism.

Data for this survey was collected through a series of face-to-face interviews with residents of Makin Island. Questions in the survey include income earned through tourism, participants understanding of the impact of tourism on the islands and their recommendations of how tourism development can benefit them.

This report informs TAK on the gaps in the tourism sector on Makin and identifies pathways for TAK, the Makin Island Council, communities and stakeholders to work together to bridge these gaps and present Makin for what it truly represents both culturally and naturally.

The survey was based on a 10% sample size of the islands population and respondents’ ages ranged from 20-78 years with a gender split of 49% female and 51% male.

TAK will complete the OIPS for remaining islands in this current quarter.

Tourism Survey in North Tarawa

March 30, 2022March 30, 2022 by Sarah Teetu Reymond

The Tourism Authority of Kiribati conducted its annual survey known as the Tourism Business Inventory Survey (TBIS) in North Tarawa on the 25th and 26th of March. The primary objective of this survey is to update the TAK database of tourism operators and includes data such as services offered, available facilities, number of rooms, and number of employees to name a few.

This is part of TAK’s annual work plan to ensure our accommodation database is accurate and up to date. The data collected is strictly confidential and only the contact information or a combined summary of the businesses is shared with stakeholders and our regional and international partners.

The team surveyed 7 properties namely Tabon Tekeeke; Tabuki Retreat; Uaai Getaway; Bikennarara Resort; Nemat Resort; Tarabuka Hideaway and Ocean View. Many of these accommodations are locally built comprising of overwater Buia and local huts.

The survey was conducted by the Research and Statistics Division team.

TAK released Abemama Island Tourism Perception Survey Report

June 30, 2021 by Maaba Katirite

The Tourism Authority of Kiribati (TAK) has released its report on the Outer Island Perception Survey (OIPS)for Abemama Island.

The survey was conducted to gauge islander’s perception on tourism development in Abemama and identify growth opportunities that TAK and relevant stakeholders could consider for the island destination.

Data were collected through a series of interviews with locals in March 2021. The respondents’ ages ranged from 20-70 years with a gender split of 60% female and 40% male.

The survey measured income from tourism products sold as well as tourism activities and attractions that islanders felt were available to visitors.

This report also aims to identify any gaps in the tourism sector on Abemama and for TAK, the local island council and communities to work together to bridge these gaps and present Abemama to the world as a truly unique tourism destination.

This is the 3^rd report of its kind after North Tarawa and Banaba and similar surveys will be conducted for other outer Gilbert islands.

TAK undertakes Tourism Perception Survey in Marakei

May 21, 2021 by George Kumkee

The Tourism Authority of Kiribati’s (TAK) Research & Statistics Division recently conducted a tourism scoping mission on the island of Marakei, to ascertain potential for tourism development. The island is located just a 20-minute flight from Bonriki International Airport.

In addition to consultation with government officials and council members, TAK used the scoping mission to carry out an Outer Islands Perceptions Survey (OIPS) in the island’s 8 villages. The aim of the OIPS is to gauge the islander’s perceptions on tourism and to understand how they feel towards the vision of tourism positively adding value to the island’s economic, socio-cultural, and natural environment. The survey also aims to identify tourism perception gaps at the community level and the results will be used as a guide by TAK and relevant stakeholders that plan to undertake tourism development initiatives on the island.

Whilst on Marake, TAK also conducted a Tourism Business Inventory Survey (TBIS) with the two accommodation providers on the island; Rawannawi Catholic Parish Guesthouse and the Island Council Guesthouse. The TBIS survey is an important means for TAK to gather operational information from accommodation providers to assist the organisation in its marketing and promotions, training, and product development programme.

The team also conducted the GPS mapping of historical sites, shrines and other tourism attractions which will be incorporated in the island’s new tourism map.

TAK explores eco-tourism opportunities on Marakei

May 20, 2021 by George Kumkee

Situated 70km north west of Tarawa, the island of Marakei is the only enclosed atoll in the Gilbert group of Islands in Kiribati. The island is well-known for its babai (swamp taro) and its local oyster, te rabino while the people of Marakei are celebrated for their traditional dancing skills such as the te bino and te kaimatoa.

The relative proximity of Marakei to Bonriki International Airport, the urban centres of South Tarawa, its rich cultural history and unique island geography presents the island with the potential for ecotourism development.

To explore these potentials, the Product Development team of the Tourism Authority of Kiribati (TAK) undertook a scoping mission on the island in early May 2021.

In collaboration with the Marakei Island Council, TAK conducted an ecotourism awareness consultation and presentation to all its councillors and community representatives. This was met with enthusiasm with the councillors agreeing to the establishment of a Marakei Tourism Development Committee. Once formalised, the committee will work with TAK to deliver tourism product development, capacity building, and marketing and promotion for the island.

Whilst on Marakei, TAK also used the opportunity to update the island’s two accommodation providers on the progress of the revamped Mauri Mark Accredication Program. The revamped Mauri Mark Accreditation Program will be the national tourism business quality accreditation program for Kiribati. This program will rate accommodation, restaurant and bars, tourism leisure crafts and dive operators based on their compliance to relevant industry safety and service standards.

Online Survey Design Workshop for TAK

April 7, 2021 by Maaba Katirite

The New Zealand Tourism Research Institute (NZTRI) conducted the first of a series of capacity building workshops on online surveys for the Tourism Authority of Kiribati (TAK) on Wednesday 07 April 2021. The workshop follows the inclusion of Kiribati in phase two of the New Zealand MFAT- funded Pacific Tourism Data Initiative (PTDI).

The goal of the PTDI is to increase evidence-based tourism decision making in the Pacific with a view to strengthening sustainable economic development.

The workshop was conducted via zoom by Professor Simon Milne, Director at the NZTRI. It focused on the International Visitors Survey (IVS) and how it can be implemented as an online survey. The workshop participants were shown examples from other Pacific island surveys and best practices in the region.

The workshop was attended by TAK officers on Tarawa and Kiritimati and they were joined by the Research & Planning Unit team of the Ministry of Information, Communication, Transport and Tourism Development (MICTTD).

Tourism Surveys on Abemama

March 29, 2021March 24, 2021 by Maaba Katirite

The Tourism Authority of Kiribati (TAK) conducted its Tourism Business Inventory Survey (TBIS), Outer Island Perception Survey (OIPS) and an update of the tourism map for the island of Abemama earlier in March 2021.

TAK conducted the TBIS to update the accommodations and tourism operators’ database. Data collected included operators’ services and facilities, location, contact details, climate change impact on their operations and waste management challenges.

The OIPS on the other hand was a means for the TAK to determine locals’ perceptions on tourism, in particular its environmental, economic, and socio-cultural impacts.

The OIPS was conducted in the villages of Kabangaki, Tebwanga, Bangotan te Kabwaia, Kariatebike, Tabontebike, Reina, Baretoa, Tekatirirake, Tanimainiku and Tabiang.

The tourism map of Abemama was updated using GPS to plot locations of new or previously unmapped tourism sites. Among the new sites were historical sites and idols in Kenna, part of Kabangaki village at the southern end of the island and on Biike islet. The updated map will allow visitors to locate accommodations and tourism sites on the island.

The outcomes of the surveys and mapping on Abemama will be used by TAK to assist in planning activities and programs for the development of Tourism on the island and will be shared with relevant stakeholders. Once finalised, a full report will be available in the Resource Centre on the TAK corporate website.

The surveys will also be carried out in other islands throughout 2021.

This trip was supported by LDCF-1 project, funded by the Global Environment Facility and implemented under the Environment and Conservation division with the support of the United Nations Development Programme.

Tourism Authority Kiribati