The Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) in partnership with the Government of the Solomon Islands is moving forward with efforts to develop the country’s tourism industry.
A statement from MCC coinciding with today’s World Tourism Day, says a recent meeting in Honiara by the MCC-Solomon Islands Threshold Program (SITHP) Tourism Investment Task Force, endorsed support for four priority areas. That included the development of a National Tourism Strategy; a review of Trustee Legislation, a comprehensive profile of possible tourism investment sites, and a roadmap for securing social licenses from landowner communities.
The statement added that the MCC-funded Accessing Land for Tourism Investment Facilitation (ALTIF) project, promotes work that improves access to land for tourism while engaging with communities to secure agreements that respect local customs and the environment.
Chair of the project’s task force and Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Bunyan Sivoro, acknowledged the ongoing dedication and commitment of all Task Force members, the ALTIF Facilitated Governance Reform (FGR) working group, and the SITHP’s implementing partners Tetra Tech and the International Finance Corporation (IFC) for advancing the project’s objectives.
“Your collaborative spirit and determination are truly valued and appreciated as we strive to create sustainable opportunities for tourism investment in Solomon Islands,” Sivoro said.
The Chairman looks forward to furthering the effort of the Task Force in unlocking land for tourism development and creating an environment that attracts investment, boosts economic growth, and benefits the local communities.
The MCC statement added that the Solomon Islands is poised to capitalize on the global tourism trend, which now places greater value on destinations that prioritize culture and sustainability.
It said by addressing longstanding land tenure challenges and drawing responsible investors, the Solomon Islands Government sees the tourism industry as a key driver for economic development and poverty reduction.
MCC Resident Threshold Director, Charles Jakosa reinforced the US agency’s commitment to ‘country ownership and local leadership’ of the process. Jakosa said the Tourism Investment Task Force includes only Solomon Islanders, who bring essential knowledge and experience to tourism sector challenges.
He added that tourism offers immense potential for creating jobs and boosting economic growth therefore through “this partnership with the U.S., we will ensure these efforts promote environmental protection and community development for years to come”.
The Tourism Investment Task Force includes senior officials from five separate government ministries, and a representative of Solomon Airlines. Since formalizing the $20 million MCC-SITHP grant agreement in 2022, the partnership between MCC and the Government of the Solomon Islands continues to
focus on improving infrastructure and fostering policy reforms that are designed to unlock tourism potential as a catalyst for economic growth, aligning with Solomon Islands’ global sustainability objectives.
As World Tourism Day 2024 encourages action on tourism and peace, the MCC-SITHP partnership aims to offer unique, culturally rich experiences to visitors while aiming to ensure tourism development brings broad benefits to local communities and the economy.
The Government of Solomon Islands and the Millennium Challenge Corporation, a U.S. Government development agency, signed the Solomon Islands Threshold Program Grant Agreement in January 2022, formalizing a partnership that aims to encourage sustainable development and alleviate poverty. The Millennium Challenge Corporation is an independent U.S. government development agency working to reduce global poverty through economic growth. Created in 2004, MCC provides time limited grants that pair investments in infrastructure with policy and institutional reforms to countries that meet rigorous standards for good governance, fighting corruption and respecting democratic rights. For more information on the program and its impact please go to https://sithp.com.sb.
