Tourism Solomons Hopeful of More Chinese Tourists
Quoting the Solomon Times on Line – 4 November 2019
“Tourism Solomons CEO, Josefa ‘Jo’ Tuamoto, has expressed his hopes the country’s official friendship with China will act as a catalyst for increased growth within the key tourism sector.
“Speaking to Chinese media representatives in Honiara to follow the recent visit by a Chinese government mission, CEO Tuamoto said the advent of the new relationship with China offered a two-pronged opportunity.
“Firstly, he said, the development would signal a marked increase in profile for the Solomon Islands which hopefully will eventually lead to good numbers of Chinese visitors arriving in the near future, and particularly divers given the sport’s popularity in mainland China.
“Secondly, he hoped the relationship will prove a catalyst for increased tourism -related investment, and particularly hotel bed inventory, a factor that has continued to hamstring the country’s ability to attract and manage increased numbers of international visitors.
“The Solomon Islands government, he said, is looking to the tourism sector to attract 60,000 visitors annually by 2025, in the process netting the country’s economy SBD1 billion.
“Until we have at least 700 quality rooms available for sale, our industry will continue to be constrained and hopes of reaching the SBD1 billion target set by government will be difficult to achieve.”
Copyright @ 2019, Solomon Times on Line.
