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The distant island of Tamana also known as “My small paradise” was visited by the Research and Statistics Division to carry out its annual workplan activities. These activities include the Outer Island Perception Surveys (OIPS), the Tourism Business Inventory Survey (TBIS) and island mapping.

The OIPS is a survey seeking the views and perceptions of the locals on the value of tourism to their communities and island. Some of the information collected relates to income from tourism; the perceived environmental, economic and sociocultural impacts of tourism to name a few.

The TBIS was the second survey conducted and it collects information such as staff numbers, room and bed inventory, and facilities and services offered from the accommodation providers on the island. This is part of TAK’s annual workplan to update the national accommodation database for the Gilbert, Line and Phoenix islands.

There are 2 accommodation providers on the island, namely the Tamana Island Council Guesthouse and the Kiribati Protestant Church (KPC) Guesthouse located in Bakaaka village.

The team also plotted tourism attraction sites on the island using a GPS device for mapping purposes. The completed visitor map will serve as a guide for those who wish to explore the island.

TAK was part of the Ministry of Tourism, Commerce, Industry and Cooperatives (MTCIC) team that visited Tamana to celebrate the National Coconut and Cooperative Day for the first time on the 22^nd of October.

Accompanying the Honourable Minister for Tourism, Commerce, Industry and Cooperatives, Mr Booti Nauan along with his wife Dr Tabuaka Nauan, were diplomatic representatives from the Chinese Embassy, Australian High Commission, New Zealand High Commission and the owner of OceanLink.

This was the first the time for the Research & Statistics Division to conduct its activities on the island.

The Tourism Authority of Kiribati (TAK) through its Research and Statistics Division visited Onotoa Island to conduct Tourism Outer Island Perception Survey (OIPS) and Tourism Business Inventory Surveys (TBIS). The team from TAK also plotted current and potential tourist attractions on the island and will use these GPS plots produce Onotoa island visitor maps. This is the first time TAK has such activities  on the island.

The OIPS is a survey which measures the local’s perceptions on tourism such as; tourism impacts on their communities, tourism contribution to local economy; and environmental, social and economic impacts of tourism on their island.

The TBIS survey on the other hand is part of the Research and Statistics Division’s annual workplan and this survey aims to update TAK’s national accommodation database to ensure that collected data and information are accurate.

The development of maps that clearly identity tourism attractions on the outer islands will be helpful to travellers who visit the island. This initiative is part of TAK’s activity to develop visitor maps for all islands in the Line and Gilbert group. The TAK team also visited shrines and other historical areas to ensure they are included on the map of Onotoa.

The Tourism Authority of Kiribati (TAK) team joined the rest of the world to celebrate World Oceans Day on 08th June 2022 through a beach clean-up activity at the Betio Takoronga point WW2 Japanese Défense Vicker guns.

This year’s theme is ’Revitalization: collective action for the ocean’ and it was an opportune time to to raise awareness among people about the impact of human actions on the ocean and to call citizens for their sustainable management.

The TAK recognizes the significance the ocean plays to Kiribati economic growth as it accounts for 99% of our national boundary.  Most of our life source comes from the ocean and its preservation is consistent with the aims of the Kiribati Sustainable Tourism Development Policy Framework.

The ocean produces at least 50% of the planet’s oxygen and is the main source of protein for more than a billion people. This is part of the reason why TAK has committed to celebrating this global event annually as an attempt raise awareness on a resource that is vital to the sustainable growth of tourism in Kiribati.

Kiribati has been invited an opportunity by China to participate in the 5th China International Import Expo (CIIE) that will be scheduled to take place in Shanghai China from November 5^th to 10^th 2022.

In line with the participation, the GOK Ministry of Tourism, Commerce, Industry and Cooperatives (MTCIC) held its first meeting with key stakeholders on the 27^th May 2022 to discuss preparations for Kiribati’s participation in CIIE.  Kiribati Fish Ltd (KFL), Kiribati Coconut Development Ltd (KCDL) and Tourism Authority of Kiribati (TAK), were among the key trade stakeholders present during the first prep meeting.

The CIIE Expo is held annually in China with this year’s theme, “New Era, Shared Future.”  China has also been kind enough to offer Kiribati 2 free booths (each 9 square meters) that will facilitate multiple stakeholder participation from Kiribati.  This also includes the provision of a digital pavilion platform where Kiribati will be able to display videos, imagery and information to promote trade, Investment promotion, tourism, cultural exchange and open cooperation between China and Kiribati

The participation of Kiribati in CIIE is expected to further boost sustainable, healthy, stable economic trade relations between China and Kiribati, and also offer a potential opportunity for more visitors worldwide to get a unique, charming impression and cultural experience of Kiribati.