Destination Kiribati

The island nation of Kiribati, comprising 33 atolls straddles the equator stretching 3235 kilometres across the Pacific Ocean. With traditions and culture thriving and visitors regarded as a curiosity, it is the Pacific of yesteryear.

South Tarawa is the urban hub of the nation with a large concentration of the population crammed into rows of houses squeezed together.

Land is scarce here, the lagoon suffering under the weight of people, but this is where government and commercial activity is focused, where the hustle and bustle of Kiribati prevails.

Venture away from south Tarawa and you escape this commotion, finding the unspoilt tranquillity of north Tarawa. To visit only south Tarawa is to miss the gentler side of Kiribati, the Kiribati where time flows with the moon and tides.

The announcement by His Excellency, Te Beretitenti, Taneti Maamau in September to open Kiribati’s borders in January 2022 has prompted the Tourism Authority of Kiribati (TAK) to begin rolling out its Tourism Restart Program in Kiritimati Island.

A key component to the Kiribati Restart Program is the Kiribati Tourism & Hospitality Protocols for the New Normal, a set of safety protocols designed to assist tourism business operators to protect their guests and staffs against the threat of COVID-19 when borders reopen in January 2022.

The training was delivered on the 20th and 21st of October at the Inn Pacific Motel, Kiritimati and was attended by accommodation providers from around the island.

In his official address, the Minister for Line & Phoenix Islands Development (MLPID) Honorable Mikarite Temari urged the tourism operators to take the training seriously. He encouraged participants to capture as much as possible from these safety protocols.

He said that “as frontline staff, the future of border reopening for Kiritimati depends on how confident and ready you are to receive international visitors”.

Honourable Temari added that MLPID plans to have Kiritimati be the first to open its international border however this will depend on COVID0-19 safety protocols compliance by all tourism business operators.

Participants of the workshop included employees from the Villages hotel, Lagoon View hotel, Inn Pacific motel, Mauri Delights apartment, Sunset Horizon Fishing Lodge, The Little Flower Guesthouse and Ikari house.

The training included simulation exercises on each recommended protocol to allow participants to better grasp the significance of the compliance measures, particularly since Kiritimati has been COVID-19 safe since the pandemic broke out. Participants will also be assisted with a supply of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).

In thanking the trainers, Mr Bureieta from the Village Hotel shared that all tourism operators in Kiritimati look forward to the reopening of the border as the hotel industry has been the most affected during this pandemic. He also expressed that they were equally conscious of the risks of COVID- 19 and will ensure that they are all fully compliant and well prepared for the reopening.

The protocol and training were funded through the US Embassy’s Economic Recovery Grant and supported by the Ministry of Health & Medical Services (MHMS) and the Kiribati Chamber of Commerce & Industry (KCCI).