Tourism Team Solo – pushing hard at SPTE 2025

Building on the success of its best first quarter international visitor intake since 2019, Tourism Solomons has seized the initiative by leading the biggest-ever Solomon Islands tourism delegation to take part in the 2025 South Pacific Tourism Exchange (SPTE) in Fiji.

A total of 19 Solomon Islands tourism delegates representing regional government tourism boards, hotels, resorts and tour operators in Guadalcanal, Western Province and Malaita joined the national tourist office at the event held this year at the Crowne Plaza Nadi Bay Resort & Spa.

While there, ‘Tourism Team Solo’ took full advantage of the opportunity to hand, the delegates managing more than 40 appointments with the close on 150 international travel wholesalers, retailers, and agencies taking part, all of which are seen as offering solid prospects for the destination’s business going forward.

Underlining the importance of the event to the Solomon Islands tourism sector, Tourism Solomons Head of Sales & Marketing, Fiona Teama said the team’s participation at SPTE represented a significant step for the destination in 2025.

“We view participation at SPTE and those similar international events we have committed to this year as being critical as we move to recapture the record  international visitation numbers and year on year growth our country enjoyed before the COVID-19 pandemic struck,” Ms Teama said.

“Given its South Pacific focus, SPTE offers invaluable opportunities to  strengthen the Solomon Islands presence on the international tourism stage.

“At the same time it enables us to both forge meaningful connections with global buyers and reinvest our connections with existing partners.

“There are no ifs and buts about it, if we want to grow our profile and in the process create business opportunities and grow our tourism sector, we need to be seen at these events.”

Paying tribute to those Solomon Islands organisations participating at SPTE, Ms Teama  said it  went without saying that Tourism Solomons is very grateful for the support it now receives from its tourism sector colleagues with the number of those looking to joining the national tourist office at these events growing by the year.

These included Solomon Airlines, Western Solomons Tourism, Guadalcanal Travel Services, Travel Solomons, Agnes Gateway Hotel, Qua Roviana Hotel, Titiru Eco-Lodge, Parangiju Mountain Lodge and Authentic Mala Tours.

Organised by the Pacific Tourism Organisation (SPTO), the South Pacific Tourism Exchange (SPTE) is the leading travel trade show for the Pacific giving Pacific Island destinations the opportunity to showcase their unique tourism products and services to international buyers.

Figures released by Solomon Islands National Statistics Office (SINSO) in April show international visitor statistics for January-March 2025 increased from 4903 over the same period in 2024 to hit 5612,  a jump of 14.5 percent, the biggest increase seen since 2019.