Training

Ms Monika Rikita of the Tourism Authority of Kiribati participated in a thirteen-day training focused on Tourism Resources and Utilization for Pacific Island Countries, which was hosted by the International Cooperation and Exchange Center of the Department of Commerce, Hainan Province, China, from the 27th of August to the 9th of September 2024.

The overall aim of the program is to nurture competitive tourism professionals for the South Pacific region, supporting the sustainable prosperity of its tourism industry and elevating it as an international tourism destination. This training program is designed to equip participants with the knowledge and skills necessary to respond to global challenges, ensuring that the tourism sector in the South Pacific remains competitive.

It is an opportunity for China’s tourism industry and tertiary institutions to present and showcase their professional courses to participants, which overall focuses on the theme, ‘Tourism Resources Development and Utilization.’ In this course, the highlighted topics covered are:

-Planning and Management of Tourism Resources in China
-Public Tourism Policies in China
-Impact of Tourism Industry: Theory and Practice
-Sustainable Development of Tourism Industry
-Tourism Destination Services and Marketing
-Planning, Design, Operation, and Management of Tourist Attractions
-Marketing and Brand Building
-Concepts and Classic Case Analysis of Cultural and Tourism Integration – Application of Digital Tourism Technology
-Hotel Management: Intelligent Hotel Development

Apart from the theory-based sessions, participants had a chance to tour Hainan Province and visit the most famous tourist attractions, such as Qinghai City, Sanya City, and Wanning City. Participants also spent three days touring Shanghai Municipality and Suzhou City in Jiangsu Province. This activity brought participants together for an interactive exercise, allowing them to reflect on and share what they had observed and learned during the training program. It encouraged them to apply these insights in the areas most relevant to their respective islands.

A big ‘Thank You’ to the People’s Republic of China through the International Cooperation and Exchange Center of the Department of Commerce, Hainan Province, for funding support and the organization of this wonderful and rewarding training program.

Among the tourism professionals from the Pacific islands who participated at the Te Ūnga Mai Professional Development Training, Kiribati was represented by Ms Kiarake Karuaki – the Product Development and Investment Promotions officer from the Tourism Authority of Kiribati.

The four-day training held in Rotorua from 30 July to 2 August 2024 is designed to enhance the skills and capabilities of tourism professionals where the Pacific leaders come together and share their destination management journey including successes and challenges. It was an opportunity for networking and gathering practical knowledge, insights, and best practices where Pacific leaders further broaden their perspective allowing for a global exchange of ideas and strategies. Overall, such a program is instrumental in shaping future-ready tourism leaders who can navigate and manage destinations with foresight and responsibility.

Throughout the program, the Pacific Delegates also had the opportunity to join the New Zealand cohort of the Climate Champions Training facilitated by the Travel Foundation in partnership with Expedia Group. It brought together an interactive learning exchange that further discussed the urge for sustainable tourism development against the impact of global climate change for a resilient tourism industry in the Pacific.

TAK acknowledges the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade for the funding support, Regional Tourism New Zealand, Rotorua Regional Tourism Organisation and the RTOs, private sector, and government agencies at Te Unga Mai for the privilege to learn from their successes and the challenges they faced.