⬅ SECTORS

Tourism

The tourism sector plays a significant role in the Solomon Islands' economy, contributing 10.5% to GDP and generating USD 132.8 million annually before the COVID-19 pandemic. With a goal of reaching 50,000 international visitors per year by 2025, Strongim Bisnis is partnering with high-potential businesses to help the tourism industry grow.

Supporting Growth in Tourism Access and Products

To tackle the challenges of limited access and underdeveloped tourism in remote areas, Strongim Bisnis is improving travel options and supporting product development. The program collaborates with Solomon Airlines to boost tourism and is expanding partnerships with local shipping lines to provide more affordable access to remote destinations. These efforts aim to unlock the potential of these areas, enabling new tourism products and increasing opportunities for local businesses and communities across the Solomon Islands.

The tourism sector plays a significant role in the Solomon Islands' economy, contributing 10.5% to GDP and generating USD 132.8 million annually before the COVID-19 pandemic. With a goal of reaching 50,000 international visitors per year by 2025, Strongim Bisnis is partnering with high-potential businesses to help the tourism industry grow.

Why Tourism

Tourism is crucial for remote areas in the Solomon Islands, where few other industries generate income and employment. The sector has significant potential for growth, especially as access improves. The program’s investments in air and sea transport aim to unlock tourism destinations, while partnerships with operators in provinces like Munda focus on expanding tourism products and increasing visitor appeal.

Strategy

Strengthening Access and Booking Systems:

  • Partner with Solomon Airlines to promote domestic tourism and improve booking systems for seamless travel.
  • Expand collaboration with shipping lines to make sea transport more accessible and affordable, unlocking more provincial tourism opportunities.

Developing Tourism Products and Accommodation:

  • Support tourism operators near Munda to capitalise on direct flights from Brisbane and grow the diving segment.
  • Invest in product development to enhance tourism offerings, particularly in areas newly accessible through improved transport.

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Cross - Cutting Themes

Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GEDSI)::

  • Increase the involvement of women, youth, and people with disabilities in tourism activities by promoting community-led tourism and developing transparent revenue-sharing mechanisms.
  • Support the development of a travel management course with Solomon Airlines and SINU, aiming to equip women and youth with skills to enter the tourism industry.

Climate Resilience:

  • Invest in resilient infrastructure, such as jetties, to protect tourism assets from rising sea levels and ensure the sustainability of the tourism sector.
  • Advocate for climate-adaptive construction practices to safeguard coastal tourism hubs.

Public-Private Sector Collaboration:

  • Continue collaboration with the Ministry of Culture and Tourism to align product development with national priorities and strengthen tourism operator support in key locations like Munda.

Australian Business Collaboration:

  • Strengthen ties with Australian tourism agents and businesses, particularly through direct flight connections, and explore partnerships with First Nations firms.

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Impact Outcomes

  • Broader Tourism Reach: Improved access to remote areas is expanding tourism opportunities across more regions.
  • Diversified Tourism Offerings: Development of new tourism products, with a focus on diving, to attract more international visitors.‍
  • Increased Market Access for Operators: Community-based tourism businesses gain better market opportunities and more equitable income distribution.

Current partners

In 2024, Strongim Bisnis is partnering with Solomon Airlines, DOSI, and Roderick Bay to strengthen tourism offerings across the country. These partnerships aim to improve accessibility, product development, and community inclusion in tourism.

Solomon Airlines, DOSI, and Roderick Bay

Elevating Domestic Tourism: Strengthening Parangiju Mountain Lodge

In 2023, Strongim Bisnis partnered with Parangiju Mountain Lodge, a prominent nature and cultural heritage-based tourism destination in Mbelaha, Central Guadalcanal, to enhance domestic tourism. This collaboration focused on upgrading facilities and boosting employment, resulting in increased visitor numbers and expanded income opportunities. The initiative showcased how strategic support can drive local tourism growth and improve the tourism experience.

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OUR Tourism NEWS

Media release

June 26, 2020

Sitidf Channels Emergency Aid To Tourism Sector

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Explore Our Programs

Tackling the nation’s trade and investment challenges, we work to provide solutions for businesses and investors in the coconut, cocoa, tourism, waste management, timber, financial services and horticulture industries, while empowering women, youth and people living with disability.

Women's Economic Empowerment

Increasing gender equity and opportunities for women to access and take advantage of resources to create and obtain jobs and move into senior roles throughout the market.

Cocoa

The Solomon Islands - Australia Partnership’s Strongim Bisnis is revolutionising the Solomon Islands cocoa sector through investments in local enterprises and extensive marketing efforts, stimulating in-country value addition and generating an increased demand for local cocoa products.

Coconut

The Solomon Islands - Australia Partnership’s Strongim Bisnis is strengthening growth of the coconut industry through marketing and diversification of the product range of existing producers, bringing sustainability and resilience to businesses.

GEDSI

Strongim Bisnis is working to create more inclusive economic opportunities by actively supporting Gender Equality, Disability and Social Inclusion (GEDSI). Through targeted interventions and partnerships, the program helps remove barriers to participation, such as limited access to resources and decision-making. By promoting inclusiveness across sectors, Strongim Bisnis aims to build a more equitable economy that benefits everyone.

Horticulture

The Solomon Islands - Australia Partnership’s Strongim Bisnis is expanding its support for smallholder farmers in Guadalcanal Province by improving access to essential resources and services. By partnering with food processing companies, the program continues to open market opportunities.

Timber

The Solomon Islands timber sector relies heavily on round log exports, with only a small fraction of wood exports processed locally. As the natural forest logging industry declines, there is a critical need to expand plantation timber and enhance domestic processing capabilities. Strongim Bisnis is focusing on improving plantation timber value chains and downstream processing to ensure the sector's long-term sustainability.

Tourism

The tourism sector plays a significant role in the Solomon Islands' economy, contributing 10.5% to GDP and generating USD 132.8 million annually before the COVID-19 pandemic. With a goal of reaching 50,000 international visitors per year by 2025, Strongim Bisnis is partnering with high-potential businesses to help the tourism industry grow.

Waste Management

Strongim Bisnis is working on waste streams (initially within Guadalcanal, Central and Western provinces) with the objective of finding sustainable and commercially viable solutions for recycling and waste removal/disposal services. This is aimed at driving economic growth and creating private sector jobs.

Youth & Disability Inclusion

Addressing the vulnerability of unemployed young women and men and the barriers for youth to be included in the economy – especially those who live with disabilities.