Kiritimati – Kaongora Newsletter

Dive Resort Operator Explores Tourism Prospects in Kiritimati Island

August 11, 2023 by Taare Rikiai

Owners and operators of Beqa Lagoon Resort in Fiji, Mr. Alex Ilnitsky and Mr. Alexander Bryantt completed a week-long expedition to Kiritimati Island, uncovering a range of untapped tourism potential and investment prospects on the island.

Beqa Lagoon Resort, renowned for its exceptional shark feeding tours, catering to international markets, especially the United States of America and Australia aims to expand its operations by delving into the mostly undiscovered charm of Kiritimati Island.

The Tourism Authority of Kiribati (TAK), in a collaborative effort, facilitated engagements between the Beqa Lagoon Resort team and government officials on Kiritimati Island. The program began with visits to earmarked tourism investment sites throughout the island, followed by meetings with the relevant authorities. These included the Ministry of Line & Phoenix Island (MLPID), and representatives from the Environment Conservation Division (ECD) and the Lands Management Division. A meeting was also organised with registered dive tour operator, the Village Hotel.

“Kiritimati Island has the potential to emerge as a premier scuba diving destination because of it undiscovered rich and diverse underwater marine life and close proximity to the United States,” remarked Mr. Ilnitsky during his engagement with The Village Hotel.

Mr. Bryantt was equally enthusiastic highlighting a range of activities that could be offered on Kiritimati Island. “In addition to diving, we envision motorbike adventure tours, particularly utilizing four-wheeled motorbikes in shallower waters. The captivating scenic surround of the island will appeal to travel bloggers seeking captivating content for their videos,” Bryantt elaborated.

Scuba diving, an untapped niche market on Kiritimati Island, holds the promise of becoming a successful segment of its growing tourism landscape.

TAK Welcomes New Kiritimati Island Direct Domestic Connection

August 9, 2023 by Taare Rikiai

The Tourism Authority of Kiribati (TAK) applauds Air Kiribati and Nauru Airlines on their partnership initiative that will enhance travel connectivity within Kiribati. This collaboration will see the introduction of a weekly direct service between Tarawa and Kiritimati Island beginning on Saturday 12 August 2023.

Kiritimati Island and Tarawa serve as the primary international ports of entry in Kiribati, and are situated 3,288 km apart with an approximate flight time of 4 hours and 30 minutes. Travelling between these islands currently requires an additional international flight with a 1-night layover in Fiji. This partnership between Air Kiribati and Nauru Airlines means travellers can now easily expand their exploration across Kiribati without the need to take an additional international flight.

“We are particularly excited of the potential that this new service will offer our visitors, in particular Kiribati fishing loyalists and adventure seekers” said Petero Manufolau, CEO, Tourism Authority of Kiribati. “Fly fishing enthusiasts can now book multiple destination fishing adventures across different islands in the Line and Gilbert Islands through this new service without having to break their travel”.

The new direct domestic service will also offer travellers from North America a direct connection to Tarawa via Kiritimati Island and a similarly convenient direct connection from Australia to Kiritimati Island via Tarawa.

TAK commends Air Kiribati and Nauru Airlines for their visionary approach in establishing this direct service between Tarawa and Kiritimati and recognises that this initiative will open new avenues for travelers to experience more of Kiribati’s islands.

COVID-19 Protocol Monitoring and Evaluation Assessment in Kiritimati

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

The Tourism Authority of Kiribati conducted a Covid-19 Protocol Monitoring and Evaluation assessment to tourism accommodation providers on the island of Kiritimati.

TAK consulted with tourism operations that are still in operation such as the Sunset Horizon Fishing Lodge, Ikari House, Dive and Fishing Adventure Lodge and The Villages Hotel to carry out the monitoring and evaluation. This type of assessment observes how the various hotel workers put to practice the Tourism Hospitality Covid Protocol which they have been trained and certified on since the end of 2021. TAK also used the opportunity to collect data on the PPEs available as part of the assessment.

TAK encouraged accommodation providers in Kiritimati Island to be consistent in their application of these important tourism protocol in their respective operations so that it ensures safety of visitors and hosts when the Kiritimati border opens.

Kiritimati Island conducts COVID19 Lockdown Drill

February 28, 2022 by Taare Rikiai

The island of Kiritimati (Christmas) in the Line group conducted a COVID-19 lockdown drill on Thursday 24 February 2022 to test the islander’s readiness should they register a confirmed case of COVID-19.

Kiritimati and its neighbouring inhabited islands of Teraina (Washington) and Tabuaeran (Fanning) island are currently COVID-19 free and had enforced restrictions to domestic inbound travel into the group since COVID-19 broke out in the country’s capital in South Tarawa.

The island is also Kiribati’s leisure tourism hub, renown as a world-class fly-fishing destination and a thriving bird wildlife sanctuary.

The simulation exercise was coordinated by the Kiritimati COVID19 Task Force committee which initiated the mock lockdown based on the scenario that a positive case was confirmed in London Village.

The exercise included a declaration of public emergency on Thursday 24th of February 2022, the activation of the island’s siren for residents to remain indoors and closure of businesses, radio announcement and information dissemination via the island’s COVID-19 Facebook page. The exercise lasted 3 day.

Health and national security officials and representatives from the Ministry of Line & Phoenix Islands Development were mobilized to manage the exercise over the 3 days of trial lockdown.

During this time, the local hospital remained opened but with restrictions to visitors, operating hours for all shops were limited and a mandatory public mask mandate throughout the island was activated.

Tourism Authority of Kiribati (TAK) Tourism Officer Tiuti Biribo says “the public and businesses operators we very cooperative and took the exercise seriously”. He added that this allowed for the successful management of Kiritimati’s first every trial run with a confirmed case of COVID-19 community transmission.

The Task force was chaired and led by the Minister of the Line & Phoenix islands, Honourable Mikarite Temari and included Secretary, Mr Natario Kiaiti and representatives from local government agencies, private sector and faith-based organisations.

New Commercial Complex opens in Kiritimati

October 26, 2021 by Taare Rikiai

Kiritimati Island’s newest commercial complex building was officially opened on Friday 15 October 2021 by the Honourable Mikarite Temari, Minister of Line and Phoenix Island (MLPID).

Owned by the Kiribati Provident Fund (KPF), the complex is a first of its kind on the island and boasts 30 rooms, 6 of which are apartments and 24 commercial lease space.

Also present at the event was a delegation from the capital city Tarawa including government ministers, development partners, government and state-owned enterprise officials and partner business owners.

The Tourism Authority of Kiribati (TAK) congratulates KPF for their investment on Kiritimati. TAK agrees that such a development will help enhance visitor shopping experience and will offer modern accommodation option for leisure and business travellers.

Kiritimati Island Mayor Supports Tourism Restart Program

September 30, 2021 by Taare Rikiai

The Tourism Authority of Kiribati (TAK) in Kiritimati also celebrated World Tourism Day on 27^th September 2021 at Linnix Compound in London, Kiritimati Island.

The event was attended by government representatives, Kiritimati tourism operators, and non-governmental organization representatives.

In his official address, chief guest, and Mayor of Kiritimati, Natua Teiti, highlighted the importance of the theme of World Tourism Day, “Tourism for Inclusive Growth”, and how stakeholders must work together to prepare Kiribati for the reopening of internal borders in January 2022.

Teiti added that the Government of Kiribati through TAK and supported by the Ministry of Health and Medical Services (MHMS), will be conducting COVID-19 protocol trainings to all tourism operators in October as part of the island’s border reopening program.

Mayor Teiti challenged and urged tourism operators in the Line Islands to work together in understanding and complying tourism safety protocols that have been developed by TAK.

Kiritimati is the world’s largest coral atoll and is a renowned fly fishing destination.

Tourism Authority Kiribati