Solomon Islands Visitor Bureau - Solomon Islands Update on Tusnami Effected Areas

Update on Tsunami

Update as of 1600 hrs (local time) on 25 April 2007

Tourism Situation Update in Solomon Islands

The tourism industry in Solomon Islands has lost nearly $4 m as a result of the earthquake and tsunami which struck the Western Solomon on 2 April 2007.

In Gizo and Munda in the Western Province where most of the tourism activities are located, an estimated $3.1 m worth of tourism properties and equipment were destroyed, while an estimated $0.65 m worth of tourism businesses were lost from hotel bookings that were cancelled. This loss is expected to rise if detailed assessment were carried out on damages to properties and equipment and loss of tourism businesses in other parts of the Western Solomon.

In spite of these losses, the tourism industry in the Western Solomon is set to fully recover within a relatively short period. Already, most of the accommodation and dive operators in and around Gizo and Munda when interviewed confirmed they have re-opened for business. A few are operating at half the capacity but are determined to get back to full capacity in a few weeks time. Explorer Hotel in Gizo has reported full bookings after it had experienced major cancellations for a few days after the earthquake and tsunami hit on 2 April 2007. The quick recovery by the accommodation and dive operators in Gizo was greatly assisted by the resumption of Solomon Airlines flights to Gizo immediately after 2 April 2007.

In Gizo telecommunication and electricity are reported to have been fully restored, although water shortage is still a problem which has affected Paradise Lodge and a few other motels in Gizo. The physical landscape of Gizo Town is slowly being restored as business houses, Western provincial government, and the Gizo community started clearing the debris caused by the earthquake and tsunami. It will take some months or even years to fully rehabilitate and restore the township to its original status.

To help them get back onto their feet within a relatively short period, tourism operators in and around Gizo and Munda who were interviewed have called upon the Government and relevant authorities to:

1. provide exemption from GST on capital items;
2. provide guarantee for soft loans from any commercial banks;
3. provide tax holiday on bed levies from 1-2 years for affected operators;
4. provide funds under any rehabilitation programmes to be distributed equally amongst the operators;
5. visit the operators regularly to assess their progress in the recovery process;
6. Inform operators at the earliest about any rehabilitation or restoration programmes for tourism operators.

In another report, Marovo Lagoon which is near Munda in the Western Province was unaffected by the recent earthquake and tsunami waves although unusual high tides are now being experienced in parts of Marovo Lagoon. Most of the resorts and ecolodges including dive operations at Uepi Island Resort in the Marovo Lagoon have been operating normally. Mavo Lodge in the northern part of the Marovo Lagoon has reported that its tourism activities including kayaking and village tours have continued to operate normally and is fully booked at present.

In the central and eastern part of Solomon Islands, the provinces of Guadalcanal, Central, Malaita, Isabel, Renbel, Makira, and Temotu are unaffected by the earthquake and tsunami that hit the Western Solomon. Maravagi Resort in the Central Province continues to report high level of bookings during the weekends and public holidays; however, it experienced cancellations especially from surfers when the earthquake and tsunami hit the Western Solomon. Reports from tourist operators on Guadalcanal, Malaita, Renbel, Makira, and Temotu provinces were not at hand, however, SIVB believes the accommodation facilities and tourism activities in these provinces are operating normally.

In the capital Honiara, the three major hotels: King Solomon Hotel, Kitano Mendana Hotel, and Honiara Hotel have confirmed they had not experienced any cancellations on hotel bookings during the earthquake and tsunami, however, they have reported an increase in hotel bookings and said they are fully booked at present.

Finally, I would like to assure overseas wholesalers, travel agents, and friends that Solomon Islands is wishing to welcome back our overseas visitors and friends.

Michael Tokuru
General Manager
Solomon Islands Visitors Bureau

Update as of 1600 hrs (local time) on 3 April 2007

TSUNAMI SITUATION UPDATE IN SOLOMON ISLANDS

As of 1600 hours (local time) today, 24 people were confirmed dead, 7 were seriously injured, 5,409 were made homeless, and 914 houses were destroyed when a powerful earthquake which was measured at 7.6 on the Richter Scale followed by tsunami struck Gizo the capital of Western Province and other areas in Western and Choiseul provinces at about 0730 A.M on 2 March 2007. The death toll and loss of properties are expected to rise as reports from other affected areas in the two provinces have started to come in.

The National Disaster Council which is monitoring the situation and compiling the reports for the Government announced it has withdrawn the tsunami warning as of today following its assessments the threat from further tsunami has significantly reduced, however, it warned people in Western and Choiseul provinces to remain cautious. It also reported that the first shipment of relief supplies including food, water, tents, and basic medicines have been dispatched to its distribution centre at Munda in Western Province to be distributed to Gizo and other affected areas in Western and Choiseul provinces, and that people should start receiving these relief supplies as from today.

Contrary to earlier media reports, the Government will shortly be declaring Western and Choiseul provinces as “Disaster Areas” after it received the disaster assessment from the National Disaster Council.

At 3.00 P.M today, SIVB received reports from Gizo that most of the hotels, motels and resorts in Gizo and Munda experienced minor damages but remain closed for fear of further earthquakes and tsunami. A few motels in Gizo have reopened for business but are facing water and power crisis.

In Gizo and surrounding areas, fixed line telephone and GSM mobile communication are operating normally, however, Solomon Telekom reported that telephone congestions has been experienced as callers from other parts of the country and overseas were anxious to find out about the situation in Gizo and surrounding areas.

“It is too early to assess the cost of damages to tourism plants and infrastructure in Western and Choiseul provinces and to know the overall loss to the tourism industry, however, the widespread damages to buildings, properties, and infrastructure in Gizo, the popular tourist destination in Solomon Islands will impact greatly upon the tourism industry in Solomon Islands which has not fully recovered in terms of visitor numbers from the effects of the ethnic tension in 2000”

In spite of the unfortunate situation in Gizo and the western parts of the country, the central and eastern parts of Solomon Islands are unaffected and likewise the tourism facilities and infrastructure in these areas are unaffected.

SIVB is hopeful that with the high level of assistance from the Government, business houses, traditional aid donors, and local and overseas friends pouring into Gizo and other affected areas in Western and Choiseul provinces over the next few days, the tourism industry and the country will be able to recover from the devastation within a relatively short period of time.

Michael Tokuru
General Manager
Solomon Islands Visitors Bureau