Survey – Page 4 – Kaongora Newsletter

Abaiang Tourism Business Inventory Survey

December 29, 2020 by Taare Rikiai

The Tourism Authority of Kiribati (TAK) conducted a Tourism Business Inventory Survey from 10^th – 13^th December 2020 in Abaiang.

The main purpose of the survey was to collect and update TAK’s database on accommodations available, number of beds, staff training needs, along with the accommodation services, facilities, and contact information for all Abaiang tourism service providers.

The mission also included the cultural site mapping, plotting of historical sites and other sites and locations with the potential to attract visitors. Whilst in Abaiang, the TAK staffs also updated the organisation’s image library with photos of new developments and activities on the island.

New information gathered will help TAK build a stronger destination portfolio for Abaiang for the domestic market and international visitors once travel resumes.

TAK Celebrates World Food Day

November 30, 2020 by Taare Rikiai

The Tourism Authority of Kiribati (TAK) participated in World Food Day Celebration on Nonouti Island on 04 – 18 November 2020. This program was organized by LDCF project in collaboration with its key stakeholders.

World Food Day is celebrated annually and this year, LDCF team commemorated it through community consultation and awareness, with its main purpose of encouraging all locals to conserve, preserve and sustain the use of their land and marine resources, against the impact of climate change.

Whilst in Nonouti, TAK conducted school awareness program to all primary schools, and a Tourism Business Inventory Survey at the Nonouti Island Council Guest House.

This program was supported by the Kiribati 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.

Kiritimati Business Award Survey

October 29, 2020 by Taare Rikiai

The Tourism Authority of Kiribati (TAK) together with the Ministry of Industry & Cooperatives (MCIC) in Kiritimati Island conducted a Kiribati Business Survey to five of Kiritimati Accommodations on Thursday 15 October 2020.

Properties surveyed included the Village Hotel, Lagoon View Resort, Little Flower, Sunset Horizon Fishing Lodge and IKARI House. Due to the impact of COVID-19 on travel to Kiritimati, the survey criteria and questionnaire were altered to reflect the current status of accommodation business operations in Kiritimati

The survey measured each accommodation’s performance based in these new criteria where the highest achiever will be crowned winner Accommodation and Hospitality category in the 2020 Kiribati National Business Awards.

Kiritimati will hold its National Business awards on 28 December 2020.

Kiritimati plans for Open Integrated Market (OIM)

September 29, 2020 by Taare Rikiai

The establishment of the OIM for local producers on Kiritimati Island is one of the Ministry of Commerce, Industry & Cooperatives (MCIC) project in the 2020 – 2023 Strategic Plan recommended through the Trade Policy Framework (TPF) to enhance and promote domestic trade on the island.

The first preparatory meeting was held at the Ministry of Line & Phoenix Islands Development (MLPID) boardroom on Thursday, 21 May 2020 and was attended by 10 representatives from different government offices on the island including the Tourism Authority of Kiribati.

It was agreed at this first meeting that a survey was to be conducted to random household on Kiritimati and as well as village to gauge an understanding on whether or not the establishment of the OIM on Kiritimati is necessary.

The result of the survey was tabled in a special meeting on Thursday 27 August 2020, and indicated that the establishment of the OIM on the island is supported by many, hence the committee will be continue working on the next preparation phase of the project.

Once completed, the project will support local producers and TAK sees the OIM as a great opportunity for widen traveler experiences and increase visitor spending opportunities on the island.

KIRIBATI 2019 IVS REPORT RELEASED

August 14, 2020 by Taare Rikiai

The Tourism Authority of Kiribati (TAK) has released its 2019 International Visitor Survey (IVS) Report.

International Visitors Survey 2019 was conducted over 12 months from March 2019 – March 2020, surveying international visitors departing from Bonriki International Airport in Tarawa and Cassidy International Airport in Kiritimati (Christmas Islands).

The IVS report is an important tool to understand international traveler psychology including motivations, customer spend, satisfaction, and demographics.

This report will be used by the Government of Kiribati (GoK) as a tool to effectively develop tourism policies including the implementation of tourism investment strategies consistent with market demands.

Tourism Authority of Kiribati (TAK) hopes its private sector partners will find this report valuable to understanding their customers and align their products to travellers’ requirements. Likewise, local, and international tourism stakeholders and education institutions can use this IVS report to understand the business of tourism in the Kiribati context to help determine their contribution to sustainable tourism growth.

The IVS projects was funded by the European Union – Kiribati Corporation Office and supported by the Pacific Tourism Organisation (SPTO).

Q1 2020 Tourism Industry Review Report Released

June 30, 2020 by Taare Rikiai

The Q1 2020 Tourism Industry report has been released in June for the benefit of our stakeholders.

For the first time, Outbound and domestic tourism has been analysed and the basic data is presented in the report.

Furthermore, the report contains international visitor arrival data as well as justifications for the changes in numbers. It also provides analysis by region, namely Tarawa and Kiritimati.

Visitor arrivals for this period were 1409, a drop of 17% compared to the same period last year. Both regions saw drops in their visitor numbers with Kiritimati hardest hit with only 384 arrivals between January and March this year, a massive drop of 55% compared to Q1 2019.

Domestically, a total of 6290 domestic flights were recorded with the most visited island being Abemama.

Outbound travel saw a total of 3049 I-Kiribati travelling overseas and most of this travel was for education purposes.

The report was prepared by the Research & Statistics Division of the TAK.

International Visitors Survey 2019 Report

June 30, 2020 by Taare Rikiai

The International Visitors Survey 2019 (IVS 2019) report will be released in July 2020 following the conclusion of the survey in 2020. The IVS 2019 ran for a period of 12 months, having commenced on March 25^th 2019 and conducted by enumerators and TAK staff using iPads supplied by the Pacific Tourism Organisation (SPTO).

The IVS is an internationally recognized survey using two methods, online questionnaires sent to departing visitors or face to face interviews at the departure lounge of the airport. Among the data recorded in this project were; preferred mode of transport; average amount spent on accommodation and meals; purpose of visit; satisfaction with facilities and services used or experienced while in Kiribati; tourist activities participated in; demographics; whether or not they would recommend Kiribati to friends and family and many others.

The survey managed to capture a total of 1405 responses with 1155 from Tarawa and 250 from Kiritimati.

Furthermore, the IVS 2019 was developed in partnership with the SPTO and funded by the European Union – Kiribati Cooperation. The SPTO also provided the iPads on which the questionnaires were loaded and also provided the training on the use of the iPads.

The data is being analysed in-house by the TAK Research & Statistics division.

The Report should provide insightful details into where Kiribati lies in terms of tourist satisfaction, comfort and safety and allow policy makers, the private sector and the communities to work together to fill the gaps identified in the survey for the benefit of both the locals and our visitors.

KIRIBATI TOURISM REVIEW 2019 RELEASED

May 28, 2020 by Sarah Teetu Reymond

The Tourism Authority of Kiribati (TAK) has released its first ever Tourism Sector Review for the year 2019 based on data collected by the Research and Statistics Division.

The report provides analysis on the international visitor figures and markets; purpose of visit, average length of stay; and also looks at yacht and cruise visitors. A look into a supply side provides figures on accommodations, employment, and inventory.

Key highlights of this report include:

14% year on year (YOY) growth in international visitor arrivals in 2019 (business & leisure)
Increase in inbound flights into Kiribati
11% increase in new beds (inventory)
Up to 450 direct employment created in this sector

TAK will continue with this annual review released every April.

A copy of the report can be downloaded from the Resource Centre of the TAK’s corporate website.

TOURISM INCLUDED IN 2020 CENSUS

May 28, 2020 by Taare Rikiai

26^th May 2020: For the first time, the population of Kiribati will be asked for their views on tourism through the national census to be carried out later this year. This was made possible through the support of the National Statistics Office (NSO).

The tourism component of the 2020 Census questionnaire is aimed at obtaining people’s perception on tourism and their understanding on the current and possible benefits of tourism in their respective households and community.

The Research and Statistics division of TAK used the NSO 2020 Census Workshop at Antebuka on 11 May 2020 to update the population census enumerators with the tourism section of the survey and attended to questions raised by the enumerators.

TAK hopes that the census responses will provide greater insight into the communities’ perceptions of tourism. Such information will allow TAK to target awareness, training, and development projects to those communities that require them, particularly where greater understanding of tourism is minimal.

The 2020 National Census will commence on 7^th November 2020.

TAK Participates in the Integrated Vulnerability Assessment of Butaritari Island

March 30, 2020 by Taare Rikiai

The Tourism Authority of Kiribati (TAK) was part of the World Health Organisation (WHO) funded Integrated Vulnerability Assessment (IVA) in Butaritari from 22-29 March 2020. The team visited all the villages to discuss and assess the vulnerability issues experienced by people and the main objective of the survey was to identify climate change challenges experienced by the local people of Butaritari.

The IVA team consisted of officers from different sectors of government including the Fisheries Division, the Agricultural Division, the Tourism Authority, Ministry of Health and Medical Services, Environment and Conservation Division, Ministry of Commerce, Industry & Cooperation and the Kiribati Island Local Government Association (KILGA).

The team complete the IVA survey and also conducted their individual sector activities which will be incorporated into the final report of the IVA of Butaritari.

TAK conducted the Tourism Business Inventory Survey (TBIS) at the four accommodations collecting data and information on the services and facilities provided by these properties. The accommodations were The Santa Theresa Guesthouse (at the Vatican), the Island Council Guesthouse, Nei Tebon Guesthouse and the Sunset Lodge.

The TBIS was followed by the GPS mapping and plotting of these properties and other tourism-related sites (eg, shrines, historical monuments, churches, clinics). This will allow for the development of a detailed map which will serve as a travel guide to both locals and international visitors.

Buatritari island is very fertile and has an abundant fruits (especially bananas), vegetables and crops which are difficult to grow on other islands. Its people have a unique accent which is easily recognizable by all locals and most of the Butaritari guesthouses are made of traditional material with a few made of concrete.

The IVA concluded with a council meeting where the mayor, Te Kinati (Unimwaane or elderly men), clerk, island councilors and the IVA team discussed the outcomes of the assessment. TAK also had the opportunity to provide updates and recommendations on the preparations for the cruise ship arrival scheduled for the 05 November at Notururu islet previously known as Bikaati islet.

Tourism Authority Kiribati