Tourism Solomons sees potential for promoting local festivals overseas after strong international attendance.
Tourism Solomons, a Bronze sponsor of last weekend’s Melanesian music-oriented Bonfire Festival in Honiara, has described the event as a success, highlighting its potential as a model for promoting local events—whether musical, cultural, or sporting—internationally.
Acting CEO of Tourism Solomons, Dagnal Dereveke, outlined the national tourist office’s (NTO) dual objectives in sponsoring the Bonfire Festival and similar events.
“The primary aim is to help establish these events locally by generating interest within the community,” Mr. Dereveke said. “Once these events are firmly established, we can then focus on promoting them in overseas markets with the goal of attracting international visitors.”
Mr. Dereveke noted that neighboring Melanesian countries are currently the fastest-growing sources of international visitors to the Solomon Islands.
“The Bonfire Festival is a great example of this trend. The event was promoted in Papua New Guinea and Vanuatu, where several of the performers are based, and we saw an influx of music fans from both countries,” he said.
Mr. Dereveke also emphasized the potential for other festivals to be promoted internationally, citing examples such as Malaita’s Shell Money Festival, Santa Catalina’s Wogasia Festival, and Temotu Province’s Tinakula Festival.
Tourism Solomons traditionally focuses on developing partnerships, training, and branding in overseas markets, promoting the diverse opportunities the destination offers to international travelers. However, the NTO has also successfully shifted resources to support the domestic market when needed.
In July 2020, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and the ensuing border closures, Tourism Solomons redirected its marketing efforts to bolster the domestic tourism sector. This included collaborating with the Ministry of Culture & Tourism (MCT) and Solomon Airlines to launch the ‘Solomons Holidays’ initiative, which played a key role in sustaining the tourism industry during the 800-day border closure.
“The domestic holiday program was a critical success at the time, bringing in much-needed revenue, keeping businesses afloat, and providing employment,” Mr. Dereveke said.
In recent years, Tourism Solomons has also supported a range of local events, including the Solomon Airlines Peace Marathon, Guadalcanal WWII Anniversary activities, and the Miss Tourism campaign, among others.
“We have a diverse calendar of events that showcases our unique culture and traditions. These events provide valuable marketing content to promote the vibrancy and attractions of the Solomon Islands through social media, websites, and other promotional platforms,” Mr. Dereveke said.
He added that such events have the potential to stimulate the local economy by attracting visitors who spend on accommodation, food, and activities, while also fostering community pride and engagement with the tourism sector.
According to recent figures, visitor arrivals from Papua New Guinea to the Solomon Islands increased by 106 percent, and arrivals from Vanuatu grew by 125 percent between January and June 2024.
