Kiribati Agritourism Policy Setting Workshop 2019 Workshop Policy Setting for Improved Linkages Between Agriculture, Trade and Tourism: Strengthening the Local Agrifood sector and Promoting Healthy Food in Agritourism. Workshop Programme Organised by the Government of Kiribati and Kiribati Chamber of Commerce and Industry In collaboration with the Pacific Community, CTA, PIPSO and SPTO. Tarawa, 15th -16th January 2019, Kiribati Venue: RAK Boardroom, Antebuka

1. Kotoyawa Tamani
Tourism Research Officer
AGRI-TOURISM POLICY SETTING
WORKSHOP FOR KIRBATI
15 & 16 January 2019 Tarawa, Kiribati
Tourism Trends in the Pacific and KIribati
Opportunities for Development

2. ”
WELCOME
Our islands are yours to travel, enjoy and respect!
“

3. PRESENTATION OUTLINE
 A b o u t S P TO
 G l o bal & Pa c i fic To u r ism Pe r formances
 Ke y C h all enges f o r K i r ibati
 Ke y O p p or tu n iti es f o r K i r i bat i
 S P TO C u l i n ar y I n it iativ es
 L e sson s L e arnt – Wa y F o r ward

4. SPTO MEMBER COUNTRIES

5. GLOBAL AND PACIFIC
TOURISM
PERFORMANCES

6. International Tourist Arrivals Growth
2017 Jan-Apr 2018
World 6.8% 6.2%
Europe 8.4% 6.8%
Asia & the Pacific 5.6% 7.8%
Americas 3.3% 3.0%
Africa 9.0% 5.6%
Middle East 4.6% 4.5%
Source: UNWTO World Tourism Barometer, June 2018

7. 39%
52%
9%
Source: NTOs, NSOs & SPTO. Data in red are SPTO estimates based on averages of the past four months.
PICs ANNUAL VISITOR ARRIVALS BY DESTINATION
Destination 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 (R)
2018
(Jan-June)(R)
Fiji 657706 692630 754835 792320 842884 383982
French Polynesia 164393 180602 183831 192495 198956 96731
Cook Islands 121158 121458 125132 146473 161362 90214
Samoa 124673 131719 136104 145176 155098 72064
Palau 105066 140784 161931 138416 122726 60049
PNG 184321 191442 198685 197632 142943 56101
New Caledonia 107753 107187 114072 115676 120697 51738
Vanuatu 110109 108811 89952 95117 109063 52131
Timor Leste 44146 48986 61037 71680 119432 51188
Tonga 48188 50436 53731 59130 62136 31342
FSM 42109 35440 30240 29485 30060 16473
Solomon Islands 24431 20070 21623 23192 25700 13317
American Samoa 20846 21603 20335 20050 19987 10686
Niue 7047 7408 7707 8918 9805 4866
Kiribati 5868 5111 4353 5018 5663 3668
Nauru 3038 3002 3008
Marshall Islands 4342 4876 6311 5332 5202 2916
Tuvalu 1302 1416 2402 2465 2466 1455
Total 1,773,458 1,869,979 1,972,281 2,051,613 2,137,182 986149

8. PICs & MAJOR SOURCE MARKETS % SHARE
3.00
4.9
8.1 7.5 6.7 7.1
7.98
6.7
5.2
7.7
8.9 8.9
7.75
7.4
6.7
6.7
7.5 7.7
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 jan-
Jun
Market%Share
UK
CHINA
JAPAN
OTHER ASIA
PACIFIC ISLANDS
OTHER COUNTRIES
AUSTRALIA
NZ
USA
EUROPE
16.3%
7%
AUSTRALIA
27%
NZ
20%
USA
11%UK
2%
EUROPE
9%
CHINA
7%
JAPAN
4%
OTHER
ASIA
9%
PACIFIC
ISLANDS
8%
OTHER
COUNTRIES
3%

9. KIRIBATI VISITOR ARRIVALS (2011 – June 2017)
Source: SPTO Quarterly Review Report
-20.0
-15.0
-10.0
-5.0
0.0
5.0
10.0
15.0
20.0
25.0
0
1000
2000
3000
4000
5000
6000
7000
2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017
Grorowth(%Change)
TouristArrivals
Kiribati Visitor Arrivals (2011-2017)
Other Countries
Pacific Islands
Other Asia
India
Japan
China
Europe
UK
USA
New Zealand
Australia
Total
Growth (%) Change

10. KIRIBATI VISITOR ARRIVALS BY PURPOSE OF VISIT
Source: SPTO Quarterly Review Report

11. 2.1 million
1 million

12. KEY CHALLENGES FOR KIRIBATI

13. 1. Geographic isolation;
2.High transport and shipping costs;
3.Low population base;
4.Climate Change Impacts on Economic
Activities;
5.The very nature of the relative infertility
of its coral islands prohibits agricultural
production on a large scale

14. KEY OPPORTUNITIES FOR KIRIBATI

15. TRAVELERS’ VALUES ARE CHANGING
• Booming economies of Asian countries- China outbound 700 mil in 2017
• Growing middle class with increased personal wealth and disposable
income (India)
• Aspirations and core values of travelers are changing – environmentally
responsible, seeking culturally rich and off-the-beaten track experiences,
desire to give back to communities.
• Travelers want to immerse themselves in true authentic and unique
experiences (Natural Beauty and Culture), with a “WOW” factor

16. Evolving Mindsets

17. The Rise of the enlightened traveler

18. Embrace Kiribati Tourism Assets
An asset is something that you possess that is
valuable. A tourism asset is a country, city, town or
region that owns a feature such as the Great
Pyramids that brings people and their money to
their country.

19.  33 coral atolls and islands spanning an area of 3.5
million square kilometres of ocean

20.  People – friendly and hospitable

21.  Home to some of world’s untouched coral reefs and sea life
 Unique coral atoll geography and ecology

22.  Vibrant, living, unique culture

23. TOURISM PRODUCT/s Opportunities for Kiribati
A tourism product can be defined as the sum of the physical and
psychological satisfaction it provides to tourists during their travelling
route to the destination. The tourist product focuses on facilities and
services designed to meet the needs of the tourist

24. 1. Water-based tourism -
relates to any touristic
activity undertaken in or in
relation to water such as
lakes, marine coastal
zones, seas, rivers,
oceans etc: DIVING,
SNORKELING,
YACHTING, CRUISING,
FISHING…

25. 2. CULTURE TOURISM –
concerns a traveler's
engagement with a country or
region's culture, specifically
the lifestyle of the people in
those geographical areas, the
history of those people,
their art, architecture,
religion(s), and other
elements that helped shape
their way of life.

26. 3. HERITAGE TOURISM:
"traveling to experience the
places, artifacts and activities
that authentically represent the
stories and people of the
past", and "heritage tourism
can include cultural, historic
and natural resources

27. 3. ECOTOURISM - tourism
directed towards exotic
natural environments,
intended to support
conservation efforts and
observe wildlife.

28. The future of Kiribati is perfect for development
of SUSTAINABLE TOURISM (Niche tourism
products for niche travelers)
Focused on needs of the Enlightened Traveler (Not
about #s (quantity) but on quality impact visitors (high
yield) with best interests on long term sustainability of
islands, people and culture at heart.
 Niche Product identification
 Niche Product Development
 Niche Tourism product policy, standards, enforcements
 Niche Product packaging + pricing
 Marketing – distribution to specialist (niche) travel agents,
travelers, tourists..
 Niche product Marketing strategy + planning + execution
+ Kiribati Tourism Brand

29. SPTO’S CULINARY INITIATIVES
2014-2015
DEVELOPMENT at REGIONAL LEVEL

30. • Objective - to enhance the sustainability of the
country’s tourism sector through greater use of
local produce and less reliance on foreign
imports
• conducted 3 regional and 4 in-country Culinary
Training Workshops
• 2 regional workshops in Fiji (11 PICs: Cooks Is,
Samoa, Niue, Tonga, Solomon Is, Kiribati, Vanuatu, Fiji,
PNG, Palau and Tuvalu)
CULINARY WORKSHOPS UNDER EU PROJECT

31. • 1 regional workshop in Samoa (Samoa, Tonga, Vanuatu,
American Samoa, Solomon Islands)
• 2 in country workshops in Samoa (Upolu & Savaii)
• 1 in country workshop in Tonga
• 1 in country workshop in Solomon Islands
• A total of 162 chefs trained
• 1 in country workshop in Tuvalu on customer service and
food & beverage training, food preparation & handling
techniques (July 2018)

32. • Developed a network of Pacific Culinary Contacts
to share ideas and recipes etc.
• Developed strategic partnerships, opportunities
and funding resources amongst developing
partners (such as SPTO, PIPSO, CTA, SPC-PAPP)
that will strengthen the link between tourism and
the agriculture sector.
• Produced culinary training manuals and DVDs

33. LESSONS LEARNT – WAY FORWARD

34. • Need for a Pacific Agri-Tourism and Seafood Strategy for the Pacific
encompassing a robust Pacific Chefs Development Strategy (SPTO,
PIPSO…)
• Need for the Agriculture Sector to ensure consistency and quality
produce to the tourism and hospitality industry (Kiribati)
• Subsistence farmers to establish cooperatives to market their supplies
and link with the tourism industry (Kiribati)

35. • Consistent culinary capacity building for member countries
needed (SPTO, PIPSO…)
• Pacific Islands to establish national Culinary Associations and
a pool of in-country qualified trainers (Kiribati)
• Regular dialogue and strategic partnerships between
partners/donors to pool resources and avoid duplication
(country and regional level)

36. Ko Rabwa !!!