BY SAMIE WAIKORI

AUKI

THE Solomon Islands Chamber of Commerce and Industry has conducted a one-day business training in Auki yesterday.

The training had been scheduled for Wednesday but was postponed for yesterday due to a public holiday set aside on Wednesday to mark the Malaita province 34th anniversary.

A business consultant from Break Fruit Consultant, Mr Chris Elphick said in an interview earlier this week that the training is part of SICCI’s programme to support small businesses in the provinces.

Adding that SICCI has identified that people get into business, but having basic knowledge and skill to manage the business was a problem.

He said the programme is all about the Chamber with interest of finding ways to support smalls businesses. In Honiara in terms of big businesses.

“Three months ago I came here, and our focus on business planning. This time we focus on the basics to run a good business.

“The basics include having a good product, service, good enterprises, satisfying the customers, getting the best staffs and organizing the money,” Elphick said.

He stressed that money management was an important aspect of business to ensure it will not run into debt but to make profit.

Elphick said SICCI has already gone to Western province with the training, now its Malaita province and the next is Makira Ulawa Province.

He said the three provinces are under SICCI’s programme for this year; they will work on programme to reach other provinces next year.

BY GEORGINA KEKEA

IN the tourism sector, following on from May 2018, there has been an 8.21 percent upswing in international visitation. Juergen T Steinmetz reports in eTurbonews that Solomon Islands has rounded of Quarter Two in style with June 2018 visitor arrivals growing by 8.0 percent over the same period last year.

Tourism Solomons CEO, Josefa ‘Jo’ Tuamoto was reported to say that if this strong trend continued for the remaining six months of the year, and forward bookings to the destination already indicate they will, the destination was well on track to cracking the record-breaking 25,709 total achieved in 2017.

Figures released by the Solomon Islands National Statistics Office (SINSO) show May-June figures taking the Solomon Islands visitor intake for the January-June period to 13, 317, a 17 per cent increase over the 11,306 figure recorded in 2017.

Australian visitation for the six-month period climbed to 4664 representing 35 per cent of the total and buoyed by a 2.48 per cent increase across June for the month.

Steinmetz reports that the biggest increases across June again came from Papua New Guinea (up 40.5 per cent), New Zealand (17.8 per cent) and the US (up 16.1 per cent).

CEO Tuamoto said the strong Quarter Two result was indicative of some very hard work by his team in the latter stages of 2017.

“From a promotional perspective we have been relatively quiet in the first half of 2018,” he said.

“But we are confident the inroads we continue to make in our key markets in combination with profile achieved as a result of our new ‘Solomon Is.’ rebranding and related new strategic direction will have a marked effect on our visitation across Quarter Three and Quarter Four.

By Ezekiel Talatau

MINISTRY of tourism and culture, moves to sets a minimum standard accommodation for tourism sectors industry in Solomon Islands.

The move of this minimum standard accommodation is a major step in the direction of tourism and it is a time for Solomon Islands to go into the international tourism stage and marketing, said Solomon Islands tourism industry CEO Mr Osefa “Jo” Tuamoto.

The minimum accommodation will be classified into 8 categories to meet the international standard.

To date, about 160 accommodation are been operated here in Solomon Islands and only 10 percent can be currently sold through international wholesale, offering Solomon island travel package.

The ministry of culture and tourism (MCT) Director Bunyan Sivoro, said that, the increase tourism is a national interest and it is a main benefactors that would eventually be the tourism operator themselves.

He added that the newly introduce accommodation scheme will significant upsurge tourism industry as a new chapter.

Minister of MCT, Hon. Bartholomew Parapolo during the launching at Honiara Heritage Park Hotel has said that, the implementing of such projects is essential in tourism sectors and I believe that, this project will set an international standard towards the tourism accommodation sectors

MCT director also highlights the influence of Australia foreign affairs and Trade DFAT enhance integrated network for their provision towards the project through financial support.

MCT also acknowledge the Australian volunteers through (DFAT) to take part in promoting and providing technical input to finalize the documents.

BY LYNTON AARON FILIA

WITH full government support, the national tourism office of Solomon Islands is active both domestically and internationally and is playing a major role in the country’s economic future.

According to Solomon Islands Visitors Bureau, tourism is seen as an economic saviour for the country.

Solomon Islands is one of the top six sources of foreign exchange and government record highlights tourism becoming a top-two source of foreign exchange within the next five-ten years.

Priority is now being placed on tourism development and an effort is being taken to facilitate growth under the country’s national tourism policy as well as bring focus to bear on upgrading tourism accommodation and product.

New constructs in 2017 included the Coral Sea Resort & Casino in Honiara and Ginger Beach Resort a short drive from the capital, SIVB said.

Development of the extremely lucrative cruise sector remains a key focal area of the strategy and one which the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and Tourism Solomons have aggressively developed in partnership with Carnival Australia and P&O Cruises.

With the Solomon Islands, traditional economic bases – particularly the mining and timber industries moving into ‘sunset’ mode, tourism is set to play a major role in the Solomon Islands’ ongoing economic fortunes.

SIVB said, having a fully-supportive government and proactive national carrier are critical to the Solomon Islands tourism sector achieving its objectives.

It said currently tourism accounts for SBD447,000 (approx USD60,702,600)—Source, Central Bank of the Solomon Islands.

The current other main exports for the country are as follows:

• Timber – valued at USD149, 536.29 million.
• Crude palm oil – valued at USD21, 258.08 million.
• Cocoa beans, whole or broken, raw or roasted – valued at USD11, 357.09 million.
• Copra – valued at USD9, 288.09 million.
• Crude palm kernel or babassu oil and fractions – valued at USD7, 825.72 million—source – Pacific Islands Trade & Investment.

“Tourism Solomons is hopeful more accommodation will come on line as the country approaches the 2023 staging of the Pacific Games which will see big infrastructure development in and around Honiara,” SIVB said.

BY LORETTA BRIGIDIA MANELE

PEOPLE of Kolomola and Alu’Alu villages of Hograno Highlands in Isabel province are being called to work together for the betterment of Gagaolo Primary School.

This was raised by school head teacher, Renward Matesala who said that since the school was established five years ago, people have not been active in supporting the school.

He said that the only people who have come forward and helped the school are the students’ parents who did cleaning around the school compound and built staff houses.

Matesala stated that the school needs the support of everyone from these two communities to progress and not just the support of parents alone.

He added that if everyone worked together, the school can further develop.

Matesala strongly calls on Kolomola and Alu’Alu communities to support the school in its endeavors.

He also appeals to the people of Isabel province residing in Honiara to assist the school in any way possible.