Tourism Authority Kiribati

Kaongora Newsletter

Abemama trials Community Tourism Product

The Tourism Authority of Kiribati (TAK) conducted a final preparatory trial and familiarization of the Abemama Community & Island Tourism package from 19 March to 06 April 2022.

The development of niche tourism products on the island includes a combination of community-based tourism, cultural tourism, marine tourism and agritourism experiences across 4 island communities and supported by local accommodation providers and the Abemama Island Council. This project aims to use tourism as a means for island communities to address food security challenges caused by global warming and climate change.

The 5 days itinerary trial based on a sustainable tourism model on traditional and cultural practices including a traditional culinary experience focused on a farm to table and reef to fork experience concept, Marine Protected Areas tours and community and island guided tours with storytelling.

This familiarization trial will assist communities recognise the need for the whole of island approach toward tourism and other service providers that play an important role to visitor experiences. Mr Willie Itaaka from Reina village stated how the familiarization have given them confident to perform and deliver expected standard community tour experiences.

Active ecotourism communities of Reina, Baretoa, and Ainen Wiikin Abemama were also trained on revenue management areas, tourism business fundamentals, and Covid-19 tourism and hospitality protocols for health safety measurement before the opening of the boarders.

It is with anticipation that this one-week training would guide these communities in improving their business initiatives and services in maximizing and managing their revenue, compliance to the Mauri Mark standards, human resource development initiatives, customer service, market analysis, and marketing and promotions of their tourism products and services.

The training concluded with the installation of a traveller information kiosk at the airstrip terminal on the islands.

The trip 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.

TAK Begins 2022 Community Tourism Program

The Tourism Authority of Kiribati (TAK) began its 2022 Community Tourism Program with a roadside and waterfront clean up along the Bonriki Causeway and Nawerewere on Saturday 08 January 2022.

Supported by the Minister of Tourism, Commerce, Industry and Cooperatives (MTCIC), Honourable Booti Nauan, the program also included participation from the Ministry of Environment, Lands and Agriculture Development (MELAD) and the Environment and Conservation Division (ECD), MTCIC, Nei Mom Uprising,  The POSSIBILITY Network Group and the Nawerewere community. Refreshments were provided compliments of the Kiribati Islands Conservation Society (KICS).

A total of 80 bags of plastic and solid waste was collected through this initiative.

TAK hopes that the participation of local communities will help reinforce the message that tourism is everyone’s business, and that everyone has an important role to play for the safe, smart, and sustainable restart to tourism in Kiribati.

TAK will conduct similar programs on the first Saturday of every month and welcomes the support and participation of all government ministries, private sector operators, non-governmental organisation, civil societies, and local communities.