Tourism is one of the country’s top potential revenue earner in the future as logging and other top revenue earners like mining are expected to slow down.
The industry was badly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic between 2021 and 2022.
For over 800 days, the country’s border was closed from all international entries because of the deadly virus.
However, around July 2022, the country’s international reopened allowing overseas guests to come and once again enjoy the country’s natural beauty.
Already the country is experiencing an influx of the number of overseas guests and visitors gracing our shores.
Last week, the Solomon Islands visitor arrival figures released by the Solomon Islands National Statistics Office (SINSO) for the first quarter of 2023 showed the destination had equalled the numbers achieved for the same period in 2020.
This was before the country initiated a border closure cutting off Solomon Islands from the world.
The figures revealed a total of 3,940 international visitors travelled through Honiara International Airport between January and March 2023. This figure pipped the Q1 2020 3,880 result by 1.5 percent.
No doubt this is a significant jump and a positive result for the country as it attempts to bounce back from the aftermath of the pandemic.
Based on the report, Australians again continue to make up the bulk of the visitors.
The report further highlighted the biggest growth for the quarter came from the US market, where numbers increased from 208 in Q1 2020 to 351 across the same period this year – a jump of 68.7 percent.
New Zealand visitor arrivals for Q1 also showed a slight downturn over the corresponding period in 2020, dropping 11.6 percent from 267 to 236.
However, there were positive and increased arrivals from our neighbours like Papua New Guinea and Fiji.
The tourism office is keeping a very close eye on the New Zealand market following Solomon Airlines’ recent decision to commence an Auckland-Port Vila-Honiara service on Monday 05 June.
As we enter the mid-year period, the number of arrivals is expected to hit a positive trend.
With the country’s hosting of the Pacific Games in November later this year, it will certainly bring a very positive jump in the final quarter of the year.
As an island nation, let’s continue to support the tourism industry.
It’s the future of this country.
With a number of infrastructures taking shape starting from roads, airports to sports facilities, we will expect to see visitors arriving especially through the sports tourism area.
