(23/02/24) The Solomon Islands attracted more than 26,000 visitors in 2023,
the country’s best
result since reopening its border in July 2022.
Dagnal Dereveke, Tourism Solomons CEO (Acting),
said the release of the Solomon Islands National Statistics Office
(SINSO) figures revealed 26,036 international visitors travelled
through Honiara International Airport (HIR) between January and December
2023, signifying a promising trajectory for the destination’s
tourism sector.
While the 26,030 total fell short of the targeted
29,000 record number achieved in 2019, Mr Dereveke said 2023 had
been characterised by concerted efforts from an entire tourism
sector bent on post-pandemic recovery and reaching pre-pandemic
visitation levels.
Acknowledging the result had been largely helped
by the influx of influx of international athletes and spectators
attending the 2023 Pacific Games in Honiara last November, Mr
Dereveke said he was optimistic of a stronger 2024 result given
recent developments on the Australia-Solomon Islands flight
sector.
Fatboys Resort on Mbambanga Island in Gizo, Solomon Islands
That includes Solomon Airlines’ increasing air
capacity between Honiara and Brisbane, a resumed direct Brisbane-Munda
service and the resumption of Qantas flights on the
Brisbane-Honiara sector.
“Going forward our 2024 marketing strategy
revolves around continuing to place major efforts around our short
haul markets where we have direct access to grow the numbers with
planned joint marketing activities planned for this year 2024 with
Solomon Airlines and key industry partners,” he said.
Australian arrivals again dominated the figures,
and whilst the 8,688 were down on the 11,011 achieved in 2019,
they still comprised 33
percent of total visitation.
Surprisingly, Papua New Guinea and Fiji,
traditionally Solomon Islands’ fourth and fifth biggest
sources of visitation, have jumped into second and third place
respectively.
Papua New Guinea arrivals grew from 1,649 in 2019
to reach 2,356, an increase of 42 percent, while Fiji numbers grew
by 24 percent, from 1,839 to 2,295.
Visitor arrivals from the USA remained relatively steady at 1,777,
an overall decrease of 8.4 percent, whilst New Zealand numbers declined by 8.1 percent,
from 1,954 in 2019 to 1,795 in 2023.
Mr Dereveke said he was confident of a solid
increase in New Zealand numbers in 2024 thanks to a Solomon
Airlines-Air Vanuatu collaboration instigated in June last year
which provides more direct access to the Solomon islands for Kiwi
travellers.
“Considering the challenges we faced at the start
of 2023, overall, the 2023 result marks a pivotal moment for our
tourism sector and one that in 2024 we intend to consolidate
across all sources of visitation,” he said. “We remain cautiously
confident that via our continuing efforts, effective marketing,
and increased international confidence in the Solomon Islands, the
destination will see an even stronger result across all target
markets in the coming year.”
