Page 22 - IB June 2017

Tourism
Solomons stays unique

Islands Business talks
to Freda Unusi, Solomons
Islands Tourism Bureau’s
marketing manager about
the isand nation’s aspira-
tions and tourism strategies

IB: So the Solomons has the cleanest
air in the world!
UNUSI: We just heard yesterday.
We’re first and New Zealand is second
according to the WHO.
IB: What does that mean for the Solo-
mon islands as a desination?
UNUSI: Wow! That’s a catch phrase
for us – If you want to relax and have
clean, healthy air, come to the Solo-
mons.
IB: How do you keep it that way?
UNUSI: I know! Well, for a start the
logging industry is big in the Solo-
mons so perhaps what we have to do
now that they have announced that
(but it’s slowly depleting. So we have
no option but to revert to what we
have in our lifetsyle and everything
else
IB: Do you think its possible to engage
with the tuna and fisheries industries
which are important to the economy but
are also threats to tourism in order to
ensure sustainability?
UNUSI: One of our destinations is
the forest where people visit and trek
so what we would like the loggers to
do is (replant the trees that are cut
down) so that our children can have
the experience in their own time
IB: Is there a way the tourism industry
can help off-set the costs of re-afores-
tation? Perhaps a dollar from each sale Clean and relaxing ... the Solomons Islands has a unique appeal to tourists. Photo:David KIrkland/ SIVB
towards buying. Seedlings and paying something unique for everyone. We’ve than that.
for replanting? brought sellers who own their own IB: And a lot of your resorts are small.
UNUSI: Yes, that’s a good idea. properties and if they can each make
There are various options which we five contacts at SPTE that will be a UNUSI: Very small. Some maybe five
can look at to cooperate in the area of huge start. We don’t want too many cottages
sustainability with the fisheries and because we cannot handle large num- IB: But that can be an advantage.
the forestry sectors. We need active bers. Slow pace but real experiences. UNUSI: Yes. For sustainability,
collaboration between the industries IB: The Solomons tourism plant is quite that’s the way to go. We want to keep
and the people. small. the Solomons the way it is and that
IB: What do you hope to gain at SPTE? UNUSI: Very small. Like$150million means getting visitors who care about
UNUSI: We are small but we have the environment.
into the economy and logging is more

22 Islands Business, May 2017