BY SAMIE WAIKORI
The grand opening of the Xiao Henderson Hotel in Central Guadalcanal on Saturday, January 3, 2026 marks another significant milestone in the country’s hospitality sector.
The magnificent hotel is owned by Mr You Qiang Xiao and his family, who are of Chinese origin, and is now officially open for service.
Xiao Henderson Hotel, a four-story building boasts of 60 rooms with 20 rooms on the 2nd, 3rd and 4th floor respectively.
Of the 20 rooms on each floor, there is a suite per floor.
To kick off the occasion a dragon dance was performed which was then followed by cutting of ribbon to mark the opening of the hotel.
This was then followed by speeches and a buffet.
Guests included Deputy Prime Minister, Fredrick Kologeto.
Speaking on behalf of the management of Xiao Henderson Hotel, Walter Kola said the opening represents the realization of a long-held dream — to provide exceptional hospitality services in the country.
He acknowledged the support of ANZ Bank, the construction teams, the national government, and other partners whose contributions made the successful completion of the hotel possible.
Deputy Secretary of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Philip Sukibuka, described the opening of Xiao Henderson Hotel as a remarkable achievement and a welcome addition to the national tourism landscape.
He emphasized that the impressive development demonstrates what can be achieved when private sector investment aligns with national policies.
Sukibuka stressed that Xiao Henderson Hotel not only raises the standard of accommodation and service in the country, but also strongly supports the Government for National Unity and Transformation’s (GNUT) policy priorities of economic transformation, unity, stability, infrastructure development, and human capital development.
“Through job creation, local procurement, and the delivery of high-quality visitor experiences, this hotel contributes directly to economic diversification and inclusive growth.
“Its modern facilities strengthen our tourism infrastructure, while its investment in staff training and skills development supports our commitment to building strong human capital,” he said.
The Deputy Secretary also acknowledged the hotel’s management and expressed the ministry’s interest in working closely with them to develop a clear pathway for accessing the Chinese tourism market.
“Given your cultural understanding, networks, and market insights, we see valuable opportunities to work together on targeted promotion, service readiness, and market development that will grow arrivals and further advance our national tourism goals,” he said.
For feedback, contact: [email protected]
