New Tourism Minister James Bonuga meets tourism officials to discuss growth and sector priorities
Honiara, Solomon Islands – The newly appointed Minister for Culture & Tourism, James Bonuga, has held his first meeting with the team responsible for driving the Solomon Islands tourism agenda.
Minister Bonuga took time out from his busy schedule to meet with Ministry of Culture & Tourism (MCT) Permanent Secretary Bunyan Sivoro, MCT Director of Tourism Greg Auta’a, Tourism Solomons Acting CEO Dagnal Dereveke, and staff at the National Tourism Office headquarters in Honiara.
Welcoming the minister to his new portfolio, Permanent Secretary Sivoro provided an overview of the ministry’s mandates, relevant legislation and regulations, as well as current strategic plans guiding the sector.
The briefing also included Tourism Solomons’ current marketing focus and an update on international visitor arrivals. Visitor numbers reached 28,548 last year, representing an increase of more than 13 percent and placing the country just 382 visitors short of the record 28,930 arrivals recorded in 2019.
Minister Bonuga was also briefed on the Solomon Islands’ current tourism positioning and the strength of its key unique selling points, which continue to shape the National Tourism Office’s strategic direction and marketing activities.
Acknowledging the challenges that remain for the tourism sector, Minister Bonuga emphasized the importance of stronger collaboration between the Ministry of Culture & Tourism, Tourism Solomons, and the wider tourism industry. He expressed appreciation for the update, recognised the work already achieved, and said he looked forward to working constructively with the tourism team moving forward.
Minister Bonuga replaces outgoing Minister for Culture & Tourism Choylin Yim Douglas, the first woman to hold the portfolio since her appointment in 2024. During her tenure, Ms Yim Douglas played a key role in securing the largest tourism budget in Solomon Islands history, increasing annual funding from SBD10 million to SBD46 million.
Pictured meeting with the MCT and Tourism Solomons team are Minister for Culture & Tourism James Bonuga, MCT Director of Tourism Greg Auta’a, Tourism Solomons Acting CEO Dagnal Dereveke, and MCT Permanent Secretary Bunyan Sivoro.
PRESS RELEASE
