Solomon Islands Tourism Numbers Slip Back In Positive Growth

Honiara, Solomon Islands – Newly released Solomon Islands visitor arrival figures for Q1 2023 show the destination has equalled numbers achieved for the same period in 2020 before the country initiated a border closure which saw the country cut off from the world for more than 800 days.

The figures, released by the Solomon Islands National Statistics Office (SINSO), reveal a total of 3,940 international visitors travelled through Honiara International Airport between January and March 2023, the figure pipping the Q1 2020 3,880 result by 1.5 percent.

Australians again continue to make up the bulk of the visitors, accounting for 36.2 percent of the Q1 total with a total of 1,426, a slight drop (minus 2.5 percent) on the 1,463 figure achieved in Q1 2020.

The biggest growth for the quarter came from the US market where numbers increased from 208 in Q1 2020 to 351 across the same period this year – a jump of 68.7 percent.

Arrivals from Papua New Guinea rose from 261 to 319, an increase of 22.2 percent while Fiji figures dipped 9 percent.

New Zealand visitor arrivals for Q1 also showed a slight downturn over the corresponding period in 2020, dropping 11.6 percent from 267 to 236.

Tourism Solomons CEO (Acting) Dagnal Dereveke said the tourism office was keeping a very close eye on the New Zealand market where he hopes numbers will climb strongly going forward as a result of Solomon Airlines’ recent decision to commence an Auckland-Port Vila-Honiara service on 05 June.

Mr Dereveke said he remains cautiously confident that continuing efforts, good marketing, and ever-building international confidence in the Solomon Islands, the destination will meet its 2023 targets across all target markets.

“Our international marketing strategy remains fixed on promoting core product offerings where we hold a competitive edge or can compete with our opposition,” he said.