Guten Morgen, Buenos Dias and Buongiorno from the Solomon Islands

Honiara, Solomon Islands – The Solomon Islands border may still be closed but with the day when the country can re-join the rest of the world looming ever closer, Tourism Solomons has taken the front foot to make sure the country remains top of mind on the international tourism stage.

To date, the tourist office’s marketing efforts have been successful in keeping the country’s tourism profile high in the key Australian and New Zealand markets market, particularly via strategic use of PR and the social media channels it has access to.

And just last September, Tourism Solomons took part in the ‘Virtual Pacific Asia Travel Association PATA Mart which played a key and very successful role in the destination reasserting itself in the Asian region.

This time around, after a two-year hiatus, the focus is switched firmly back on Europe.

And over the next two days, members of the Tourism Solomons team, led by marketing office, Helen Aumae Boso, will be burning the midnight oil to reconnect with their European counterparts as part of the ‘2022 Virtual Meet the Pacific in Europe’ event.

Those counterparts include involve wholesalers and trade representatives from Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Austria, Denmark, Switzerland, Sweden, and Spain.

‘Meet the Pacific’ is a one-day business to business meeting event for European wholesalers and travel agents giving them the opportunity to connect with the key decision makers and tourism specialists from around the Pacific Islands who are on their way to the world’s biggest annual travel show, ITB Berlin.

The event this year brings together South Pacific national tourist offices, airlines, resort and tour operators who will be ‘meeting’ with key European tour operators committed to promoting this region and those who are looking to begin selling the South Pacific.

Tourism Solomons Head of Sales & Marketing, Fiona Teama said with staff who would traditionally attend this event unable to travel, this key B2B event offers a most cost-effective way to reach all the Solomon Islands existing and prospective tourism partners.

“We need to constantly remind the world that we are very much still here,” Ms Teama said.

“Pre-COVID, we have always participated in this event as the European market, traditionally a very important source of visitation, is one that has shown good growth in the past.

“This opportunity not only provides us with a vehicle to promote our tourism offering, it also gives us valuable insight into what European travellers will be looking for now that borders are reopening, which in turn will help us better prepare to meet the demands of European travellers.”

Pictured, Tourism Solomons Marketing Officer, Helen Aumae Boso connecting with buyers in Sweden from the tourist board’s board room in Honiara.