BEAMING WITH HOPE: Visitors back, plus bureau positive

By Arthur McCutchan

After four years of negligible contribution to the Solomon Islands' economy, the tourism industry is hoping to profit from the country's successful return to peace.

And the signs are positive. "There's been a big improvement in the industry since the arrival of RAMSI- a regional peace mission to the Solomons which celebrated its first anniversary last July," Director of Tourism, Andrew Nemaia said.

"We are now seeing a return of visitors with the improvement of law and order, particularly from Australia and New Zealand.

"Our biggest markets have always been Australia and New Zealand," Nemaia said, "with visitors from Australia expected to dominate the industry over the next few years."

During the first half of the year, the visitors bureau initiated a Visit Solomon promotion in Brisbane, Australia.

"This was funded by the Republic of China which contributed S$1 million towards our marketing and promotion activities. Six months after the promotion we are still seeing the benefits."

But that money also paid for the more recent New Zealand campaign.

Nemaia said the Solomons' proximity to Australia and New Zealand makes it an attractive destination. The devalued dollar also has its own appeal.

Until now, the tourism industry in the Solomons has been largely concentrated in the Western Province. But then they have had a 10-year head start on the other provinces. "Now the present Government has made tourism a priority alongside agriculture and fisheries," Nemaia said. "One of the reasons for this is that it reckons tourism will be the answer to our development needs, especially in helping rebuild the economy."

He said the Government had set in motion a programme to build resorts in remote areas. "We are trying to spread the benefits of tourism to other parts of the country. We want it to benefit a wider group of people and we want them to be actual participants in the industry."

But the Government also wants the developments controlled and managed properly. "We foresee a danger if we overdevelop the industry, especially in overexposing our cultures and traditions."

And here lies a challenge: How to use the Solomons' many cultures to lure tourists without allowing them to succumb to the destructive effects of commercialism.

"We want people to come to the Solomons to see our culture but at the same time we don't want to destroy it. So it's a fine line for us."

The Government also sees foreign investment as an important priority, so imagine its delight with the aforementioned S$52 million hotel project. "The investor is a naturalised citizen of Papua New Guinea. The group he represents owns several other hotels in PNG besides its other investments there.

"For the Solomon Islands, it's a huge opportunity for us. It will generate a substantial number of jobs. But it also means that there is foreign investment interest in the country and it shows that people now have confidence in the law and order situation here."

To cope partly with the expected growth in tourist numbers, the government is working on upgrading Honiara International Airport. "It is improving the lighting system, extending the runway so it can accommodate bigger aircraft and this is being done with the help of the Japanese Government. It is also upgrading all the provincial airports.

"As far as other aspects of rural infrastructure go, the European Union is working on building wharves in certain areas around the country."

Nemaia says the cruise ship market, once on the rise prior to the tension but then overcome by it, is on the mend. "The Solomon Islands Visitors Bureau and the Department of Tourism are working on a strategy to attract at least one cruise ship a month to the Solomons.

"In doing so, the bureau is planning a visit to P&O in Australia to negotiate an extension of their voyages from Vanuatu to the Solomons."

Another challenge is the lack of trained manpower in the industry. "At the moment we are relying on people from countries like Fiji. But our ultimate aim is to have our own catering school as well as our own school of hospitality and tourism training," Nemaia said.