By OWEN TALO TOURISM is poised to be the next leading industry to drive the national economy by bringing more economic activities, generate revenue, provide employment and more importantly, play an important role in our economic growth. Recently local journalists attended a weeklong workshop to learn more about the economics of tourism.  Director of tourism in the Ministry of Culture and Tourism Barney Sivoro highlighted that tourism is a cross cutting or cross sectorial industry which means everybody needs to play their part for the industry to grow. “The moment a tourist arrives at the airport, a taxi that transports the tourist gets paid for taking him to his hotel,” Sivoro said. “At the hotel there are staff waiting for him including those who prepare his room down to those who cook food for the guest, the chefs, and those waiters at the hotel restaurant, those barmen and women who serve him the drinks,” he added. “At the kitchen there are fresh far...

By OLIGAO NINIU TOURISM accommodation providers must follow the Minimum Standards requirements set by the Tourism Division within the Ministry of Culture & Tourism. Speaking to journalists during the Economics of Tourism training for Solomon Islands journalists this week, Director of Tourism Barney Sivoro said the minimum standards is vital to the growth of the industry.  Sivoro said many accommodations need to upgrade so our tourism sector can meet the visitors’ demand for quality rooms. Director Tourism, Barney Sivoro Minimum Standards are a set of measurable criteria that outlines items and services that must be in place for a tourism accommodation to operate according to internationally recognized standards. Sivoro said the country has 1000 available rooms, but many of them do not meet the Tourism Accommodation Minimum Standards. This was also emphasized by Tourism Solomon CEO, Josefa Tuamoto who says,“we need 400 quality rooms to meet the demand...

BY JENNIFER KUSAPA The poor state of Provincial airstrips is a major problem facing tourism operators in the country. Mereoni Adimaisau of Tavanipupu Island Resort at Marau shared her experience that they lost revenue due to flight cancellation and also bad weather. She said, “the airstrip at Marau is a problem because if its wet the plane can’t land.” She says the loss of revenue affects those in remote areas. Meanwhile Joyce Konofilia National Consultant and Advisor in the Policy and Implementation unit of the Prime Minister’s Office said that Government is serious on improving the Tourism industry in the country and there are plans in place to help develop the industry. She said in terms of improving infrastructure like the provincial airstrips, the government is working on it and have been visiting certain provinces already to upgrade the domestic airports. “Inside the policy unit we have different sectors and the productive sector we have the Mini...

By LASALOSI BENNETT The speed and drop in prices of the internet has provided more opportunities for Solomon Islanders in the tourism and accommodation sector. Airbnb, is amongst some online platforms that are providing revenue for ordinary Solomon Islanders. Oligao Niniu, the communication and public relations officer within the Ministry of Culture and Tourism says, "It is useful for small accommodation providers because now they can market their services at a much cheaper rate. Ender Naomi Rence, Director of Imperial Travel Service says, “Whilst the demand for our services has drastically declined in the past years due to the internet, our services is still important for coordination and effective facilitation of incoming tourists to their respective destination." She raises the issue of tax and how such a platform is taking away revenue from government. Rence says “this is something worth looking into by the responsible authorities,” This arti...

By IAN M.KAUKUI CHALLENGES the country’s tourism operators face are numerous and varied. Among them is irregular and unreliable air service. Mereoni Adimaisau manages the iconic Tavanipupu Island Resort, located in the Marau Sound, east of Guadalcanal. A Fijian of 40 years experiences managing resorts in Fiji, Cook Islands and Tahiti, Adimaisau shared real challenges she had encountered while preparing to meet and greet her international guests. She was speaking to a group of journalists attending a five-day workshop on the “Economics of Tourism” in Honiara this week. Mereoni discussing the issues faced by operators On one occasion, she said a Swedish couple who booked their honey-moon at Tavanipupu could not make it to the resort because the local airline operator failed to get them to Marau Airfield. “In fact the couple were already on the Solomon Airlines flight that was scheduled to fly to Parasi, Gwaunaru’u and then on to Marau,” Adimaisau said. “Solom...

By EDDIE OSIFELO WOMEN vendors at the Honiara Craft Centre are struggling to sell their products to domestic and international visitors since its opening on 2nd November 2018. This was due to low turnout of customers or tourists to purchase their products like carvings, fashion clothes like lava-lava printing, artifacts, art works and paintings. According to Solomon Islands National Art Gallery (SINAG), some of the carvings are the finest in the Pacific region and made from rose wood, kerosene wood, king and queen ebony wood with shell inlays. Other products displayed include hand woven products ranging from baskets, mats, fans, light shades, fruit trays, coffee tables, table mats, coasters, clutch purse etc.  SINAG said these products are woven by artisans from different provinces throughout the Solomon Islands. Dalcy Rex of Marovo in Western province said in good weeks, the income was around $5000 a day. She said sometimes their products were not so...

  By JENNIFER KUSAPA MARKETING and selling of products is one of the challenges faced by vendors at the Solomon Islands Craft Centre. John Fadama, a local vendor, said while he appreciates the government providing a Craft Centre, but he said the vendors face challenges in terms of selling their products due to no support from the responsible authorities. He said the Government should provide ways for vendors to sell their products as every vendor is renting the rooms from the government. “This week I sold nothing and I have to find other ways to sell my products,” Fadama told a group of journalist this week. “Lucky I have friends from other Pacific countries like Vanuatu, Papua New Guinea and Fiji and they always sent their orders for my products,” he added. “I will be leaving for PNG at the end of the month taking my products to my customers.” Fadama also said that other Pacific countries want Solomon products because they are of good quality, th...

By EDDIE OSIFELO NEW and upcoming accommodation establishment DD Holiday Inn at Mbumburu, West Honiara, launched its website yesterday as part of its marketing drive to get itself out to a wider audience. People can access the website on:   https://www.ddholidayinn.sb Owners of the Inn, John and Nester Deve, Strongim Bisnis Senior Advisor, James Mcgoon and journalists attending a one-week Economics of Tourism workshop witnessed the event.  John Deve and wife, Nester Deve T he Economics of Tourism workshop, which was jointly funded by PACMAS and Strongem Bisnis, was conducted at DD Holiday Inn’s magnificent, opened-side thatched conference room.   A private Information Technology (IT) company, Arietech, designed the website.   Deve, a former Police officer, told the small gathering the website was the culmination of many years of struggle as a indigenous businessman.    He said it was a long journey in life, which he sees as blessing. “I ...