Solomon Islands VB and Solomon Airlines to boost visitor arrivals

Pictured at the official signing of the SIVB-Solomon Airlines MOU at Henderson Airport, (standing from left to right):  Solomon Airlines general manager operations and commercial, Gus Kraus; Solomon Islands Visitors Bureau chairman Moses Tepai. Solomon Airlines chairman, Denton Rarawa, and Solomon Airlines deputy chairman, Tony Langston.

Seated (from left to right): Solomon Islands Visitors Bureau CEO, Josefa Tuamoto and Solomon Airlines chairman, Ron Sumsum.

SIVB signs MOU with Solomon Airlines

The Solomon Island Visitors Bureau (SIVB) and Solomon Airlines have formalised a Memorandum of Understanding aimed at boosting the destination's overseas profile and increasing international visitation numbers.

Under the agreement both parties will jointly explore and implement activities to promote increased tourist traffic to the Solomon Islands in its existing mature source markets and also other markets seen as offering strong potential to the destination.

The partnership will include the airline providing assistance with airfares allowing the SIVB to participate in overseas travel shows and other promotional opportunities as well as supporting activities taking place within the Solomon Islands.

In what represents one of his major activities since taking over the SIVB helm in January, CEO, Josefa Tuamoto said the agreement fully underlined the commitment and vision  both parties share in promoting and developing tourism for the Solomon Islands.

"The signing of the MOU is very timely," Mr Tuamoto said.

"Together we can join resources and implement the changes we see as necessary to transform the perceptions with which the Solomon Islands are held on the international stage and accordingly, lift tourism to the benefit of everyone involved.

"A key component of our overall blueprint for the future of Solomon Islands tourism is to see the tourism sector become the prime source of our country's foreign exchange earnings within the next 10 years.

"This agreement places us all on the same page and will play a major role in helping us to achieve our common objectives."

Solomon Airlines CEO, Ron Sumsum said the MOU represented a new horizon for the airline.

"This agreement represents a major milestone in our country's tourism fortunes, it paves the way for a closer relationship with Mr Tuamoto and his SIVB team and will have a productive effect on the spending of our joint funds promoting the country overseas," he said.

"We are excited to be able to play a key role in helping to grow the prospects of the local tourism industry and its international partners and extremely pleased to be working hand in glove and sharing resources with our national tourist office counterparts..

"This MOU, following as it does on the recent appointment of Mr Tuamoto and our new Sydney-based Australia, New Zealand & Asia Regional General Manager, Victor Sharan, bodes well for the future of Solomon Islands tourism."