Tourism Authority Kiribati

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Tourism office conducted Bakery training on Tamana Island

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The Tourism Authority of Kiribati conducted four days of bakery training for accommodation providers and representatives from different villages from 18 to 21 October 2022.

The training was part of Tamana Islands’ preparation for Coconut and Cooperative Day, celebrated in Tamana on October 22. The event is celebrated annually and is part of the Ministry of Tourism Commerce and Industry Cooperative activities.

The objective of this training is to help accommodation providers on Tamana Island explore new skills in baking and be able to bake a variety of baking whenever they have a guest to give them the Mauri way taste of local cuisines.

Villagers from Barebuka attended the four-day training. A total of 17 participants were involved in the activity. The workshop trainers shared ten recipes throughout the training, including coconut roll, cream donut, soft and decorated donut, striped coconut bread, chocolate cake, coconut cake, mini milo ball, simple vanilla cake, condensed milk cake, and banana cake.

During the coconut day event, participants showcased what they had baked at the TAK booth as a giveaway to whoever wanted to taste it.

The Tourism Authority of Kiribati hoped that following the workshop, participants could enhance their baking skills to add to their existing recipes they had learnt to offer guests and travelers when visited in the future.

TAK acknowledges the support from the Ministry and will roll out the same training to other islands which has not yet visited.

Tamana Island keen for tourism restart

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The island of Tamana (pronounced Tamena) in the southern part of the Gilbert Islands in Kiribati is nationally known as the island of men, a repetitive phrase often echoed by the old men during traditional welcome ceremonies. This reference is a reflection of the island’s motto of “A man needs to be very skillful and healthy so that he is ready and prepared to provide for his family’s daily living and needs, especially in times of stormy weather’.

Tamana traditional dance depicts its closeness to the Polynesian archipelago and its geographical location has situated it off the beaten track tourism destination in Kiribati.

The Tourism Authority of Kiribati (TAK), through its safe, smart, and sustainable tourism restart to tourism program delivered a 4-days training on the island from 18 – 21 October 2022.

It was ideated that the trainings will provide participants with a better understanding on how to effectively manage their tourism businesses’. The trainings recommended that these could be achieved through value adding products and services.

The tourism business fundamentals training highlighted significant points to operate and market a tourism business while the Kiribati Tourism and Hospitality Protocols for the New Normal aimed at improving and enhancing the safety of both the consumers and the service providers in the post Covid19 situation.

Representatives from Tamana Island Council Guesthouse and the KPC Guesthouse participated and completed the training.

The monitoring and evaluation exercise to assess the guesthouses’ staffs compliance to the protocols.

The training was provided as part of the preparation and support to the National Coconut and Cooperative Day on the 22nd October 2022.

 

Nonouti Island Community-Based Tourism development progressing.

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The Tourism Authority of Kiribati (TAK) in collaboration with the Business Promotion Unit of the Ministry of Tourism, Commerce, Industry and Cooperatives (MTCIC) continued its community-based tourism program on Nonouti Island from 14 – 31 October 2022.

Through this mission, the team worked with participating communities to develop their community- based tourism business plans. This included consultation with participating communities on business name ideas, package and pricing and other necessary information required for the business plan completion.

A total of 6 island communities participated in the exercise and they included Autukia village, Rootin Abamakoro and CM Umwantewenei.

The business plan development will assist these 3 communities to understand the basics of the business and revenue management skills that will help sustain their business. Sustainability will be core to Nonouti island’s community-based tourism businesses with economic prosperity, cultural preservation, and environmental protection as their guiding pillars.

The 2 program also included product trial, development of product sign boards and a lobster cooking competition to boost community capacity authentic culinary experience.

The mission concluded with the cultural trade fair and the world food day celebration as a wrap of the LDCF Project 1 featuring winners of the lobster cookery champion, best fishing guides and food security award.

The Nonouti community-based tourism participating communities’ business plans will be endorsed during the launch and familiarisation trip in November 2022.

Abemama island hosts community-based tourism package tour famil

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The island of Abemama hosted a familiarisation tour of its newly launched community-based tourism products from 14 – 17 October 2022.

Led by the Minister for Ministry of Tourism, Commerce, Industry & Cooperatives (MTCIC), Honourable Bootii Nauan, the group also included the Minister for Ministry of Infrastructure & Sustainable Energy (MISE), Honourable Willie Tokataake, New Zealand High Commissioner, H.E Andre Van Der Walt, Australian Deputy High Commissioner Mr. Tim Gill, Kiribati inbound tour operators (Kiribati Holidays and Air Kiribati), the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) country rep and senior government officials.

Arriving in Abemama via a chartered flight, the group was accorded a traditional welcome by members of Tabiang village at Abemama airport.

The group’s itinerary was based on the islands 3 days community-based tour packaged that included traditional dance entertainment by Baretoa community, an island tour of cultural shrines and historical sites. Reina community showcased their farm to table and ocean to plate tour which included babai planting demonstration and coconut tree planting.  The island’s women’s group, Ainen wiikin Abemama hosted to a sumptuous lunch feast and the group concluded their activities with a tour in Abatiku islet.

The famil was an opportunity for participants to sample Abemamas’ recently launched community-based tourism product packages and offer insights and feedback through TAK on how the program could be improved to better suit traveller needs.

The activity was supported by the Kiribati LDCF Project I, funded by the Global Environment Funds (GEF) and implemented under the Environment & Conservation Division, MELAD with the support of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

 

Kiritimati Island Trade Show and Quality Day 2022

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The Ministry of Tourism, Commerce, Industry & Cooperatives (MTCIC) in Kiritimati Island hosted the 2022 Kiritimati Trade show and Quality Day at the Mini stadium in London, Kiritimati on Friday 21st October 2022.

The theme of this year’s event was ‘Quality Domestic Trades Strengthen Product Integrity’ and was officially opened by Kiritimati Island Mayor, Mr. Naatua Teiti and was attended by representatives of the public and private sector.

This is an annual gathering of local producers and manufacturers who aim to increase public understanding of their products and services through demonstration, promotion and consumer engagement.

MTCIC used the event to also evaluate the prices and quality of the goods and services against customer expectation and the prescribed standards required for domestic and international trade.

The exhibition booths at the event featured handicraft and traditional clothing and artifact creators, local salt producer, traditional food produced like smoked fish, and outboard motor spare parts operators.

Tourism Officer completes community-based tourism short course

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Tourism Authority of Kiribati (TAK) Tourism Officer Product Development Ms Kiarake Karuaki participated in the Malaysian Technical Cooperation Programme short course on “Enhancing sustainability by linking culture, nature and community through tourism”, organised by the Islamic Tourism Centre.

The course is based on Malaysian best practices and approaches on community-based tourism (CBT). It highlights the importance of linking culture, nature, and community as a CBT product, homestay program and rural development, innovative approaches to wildlife tourism and conservation, integrating marine conservation and tourism, empowering local communities through cultural tourism, culture and heritage preservation and restoration through responsible tourism.

The short course has provided Ms. Karuaki with a better insight on CBT development which contribute more to building capacity and experience for tourism product development. Learning about homestay program and how it is encouraged and implemented successfully by the Malaysian local communities was a key highlight of this course.

Key lessons attained during from the course will play an important role on how TAK can encourage and develop the homestay experience with the local island communities engaged in such a niche market.

Ms. Karuaki is playing a crucial role in developing community-based tourism products on the islands of Abemama, Nonouti, Maiana and Butaritari.

COVID-19 safety protocols training in South Tarawa

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The Tourism Authority of Kiribati (TAK) conducted Covid-19 Safety Protocols Training for the Betio Lodge, Mary’s Motel, and Eniita Airport Lodge from 15 – 24 September 2022.

The 2-days per property training was attended by a total of 17 staffs across the 3 properties, most of whom are front-line staff.

The training focuses on health, safety and hygiene in the workplace and participants are certified as ambassadors of the COVID-19 safety protocols.

Property General Managers applauded TAK for its support to tourism SMEs to encourage and promote a safe, smart, and sustainable tourism restart in Kiribati.

TAK will continue to work with all accommodation providers to ensure that they are compliant to the basic COVID-19 safety requirements and will provide further support where needed.

Nonouti island is ready to welcome travellers

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The Tourism Authority of Kiribati (TAK) conducted a four-day Tourism Restart Program training to all tourism businesses in Nonouti island from 23 – 28 September 2022.

The trainings included Tourism and Hospitality for the new normal, Tourism Business Fundamental and Revenue Management, delivered by Tourism Officer Training, Ms. Monika Rikita.

The Tourism Business Fundamental covered recommendations for revamping business concepts and services offered through marketing and human resources capacity development programs. The Revenue Management training included best practices for managing revenue effectively as well as revenue forecast.

The COVID-19 safety protocol training highlighted the need for tourism business operators to protect its employees and guests from the threat of the virus through a pre-determined set of safety procedures set by the Ministry of Health & Medical Services (MHMS).

A total of eleven (11) participants from different organizations and communities participated in the training. Seven (7) of them were fishing guides, one (1) tour guide, one (1) from Nonouti Island guest house, one (1) from Catholic Parish and one (1) from Abamakoro Islet.

Since border reopening, TAK is encouraging all participants to apply what they have learnt from the training for their guests and employee safety.

 

Nonouti Island community-based tourism product development progresses

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The Tourism Authority of Kiribati (TAK) conducted a community-based tourism development mission in Nonouti island from 14 – 29 of September 2022.

TAK is working with Nonouti island communities to deliver this community-based niche tourism products development that highlights the island’s pristine environment, rich culture and traditions, vibrant history and abundant marine resources.

Once completed, these community-based tourism products are envisaged to help the island address food security challenges propelled by the recent changed in climatic conditions.

The two weeks mission included niche tourism package development training, tour product packaging, pricing and product trial with Abamakoro islet and Autukia village communities. The program also gave TAK officials the opportunity to assess the skills of trained fishing guides on the island.

Councillor from Autukia village, Mr Tiikai, stated that the product trial enabled them to understand the core requirements to tourism service delivery and added that “we realise that we have to improve some parts of our package itinerary such as timing”.

This initiative will help guide Nonouti island tourism-based communities to strengthen their business and services by maximizing their revenue, upskill human resource, improve customer service, product packaging, pricing, marketing and promotions.  It also aims to assist participating communities to recognise the need for the whole of island approach toward tourism and other service providers that play an important role in completing the visitor experience.

The training concluded with the product tourism trial on bone fishing and community-based products on traditional culinary experience, marine protected area tour and wildlife tour (bird watching).

The mission was supported by the Food Security Project, commonly known as the LDCF-1 which is funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) through the UNDP and managed by the Environment and Conservation Division (ECD) under the MELAD.

Kiritimati tourism operators prepared for safe reopening  

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The Tourism Authority of Kiribati (TAK) conducted the final training on Tourism and Hospitality Protocols for the New Normal to employees of the Sunset Horizon Fishing Lodge in Kiritimati on 21 and 22 September 2022.

This marks a milestone achievement for TAK Kiritmati who have now effectively completed the training for all tourism operators on the island, best known as a world class saltwater fly fishing destination.

A total of two hundreds and twenty-nine (229) tourism employees including, hospitality staff, fishing guides, rental car drivers and boatmen in Kiritimati have completed this training.

Through this training, TAK believes that Kiritimati tourism operators are now better informed and equipped to apply COVID-19 safety measures and protocols to travellers once their international border reopens.