22 June 2019
Advancing Solomon Islands tourism industry
Tourism as a driver of economic growth and prosperity in the Solomon Islands is currently seen as needing more development and an excellent paper published by the Asia Development Bank (ADB) last year (TOURISM AS A DRIVER OF GROWTH IN THE PACIFIC A PATHWAY TO GROWTH AND PROSPERITY FOR PACIFIC ISLAND COUNTRIES ISSUES IN PACIFIC DEVELOPMENT) gives some clues as how securing and harnessing the benefits of the growth needs to be done.
The Solomon Islands needs to enable the right environment for its tourism sector through interventions in four areas: tourism policy, strategy, and the regulatory environment, infrastructure, human resources, and product development and marketing.
The sustainability of Solomon’s tourism is seen to be dependent on national investments and opportunities for regional cooperation include: environmental and natural assets, financial and economic stability improved air connectivity exchanging best practices on infrastructure development, marketing and market research, including socio-cultural assets?
There is evidence already of regional cooperation with funding from New Zealand of the Munda International Airport, the upgrading of provincial airports and from Australia with help in improving hospitality and accommodation standards.
Solomon Islands is recommended to train a local workforce than will be able to respond to future needs in the hospitality trade, transport services and the visitor service sector more generally.
Excellence in food and catering would prepare local workers for roles in high-end resorts providing fine dining.
The ADB paper, which I have referred to, mentions how Development banks, such as the ADB, could play an important role in assisting the search for economic growth through tourism.
They could serve as a source of technical assistance, provide development financing to expand investment in infrastructure such as transport, electricity, information and communication technologies, water supply, sanitation and other urban services and, perhaps, better local health services.
From the ADB paper, I read of the Asia Development Bank’s vision in the Asia and Pacific region, and here I will quote from some interesting details and facts.
Quote
“ADB’s mission is to help its developing member countries reduce poverty and improve the quality of life of their people. Despite the region’s many successes, it remains home to a large share of the worlds poor. ADB is committed to reducing poverty through inclusive economic growth, environmentally sustainable growth, and regional integration. Based in Manila, ADB is owned by 67 members, including 48 from the region. Its main instruments for helping its developing member countries are policy dialogue, loans, equity investments, guarantees, grants, and technical assistance.”
“About the Pacific Private Sector Development Initiative PSDI is a technical assistance program undertaken in partnership with the Government of Australia, the Government of New Zealand, and the Asian Development Bank. PSDI supports ADB’s 14 Pacific developing member countries to improve the enabling environment for business and to support inclusive, private sector-led economic growth.
The support of the Australian and New Zealand governments and ADB has enabled PSDI to operate in the region for more than 10 years and assist with more than 300 reforms.”
The ADB paper is well researched, beautifully illustrated and to my thinking sets out what is an essential road map for the Solomon Islands still fledgling tourism industry, but one that has the potential and the essential need to be the driver of economic growth and prosperity in the future.
Yours sincerely
Frank Short
