Building on a very strong Q2 performance and keeping the Solomon Islands tourism sector right on track for its best-ever performance in the post-COVID era, the destination has recorded its strongest July visitor intake since 2012.
Figures released by the Solomon Islands National Statistics Office (SINSO) show total international visitor arrivals for the month rose to 2941, representing a 25.9 percent increase over the 2335 achieved for the same period in 2025, in the process eclipsing the 2865 record set in July 2012.
The July result takes the destination’s overall intake for the seven month period January to July to 16,388, a 12.03 percent increase over the 14,628 figure achieved for the same period in 2025.
Australian numbers continue to dominate the figures, the 4795 result marking an 8.06 percent increase over July 2025, and representing 29 percent of the total intake.
New Zealand also continued in positive vein albeit modestly with the 960 figure achieved representing 3.55 percent growth over the 927 figure achieved in July 2025.
Underlining the positive result, the SINSO figures also show good gains from Papua New Guinea rising by 12.03 percent and China by 22 percent.
Just two of the Solomon Islands’ top 10 source markets showed any decline – the USA and ‘Other Pacific Countries’ with minus 4.9 percent and minus 25 percent, respectively.
Attributing the result to the impact the national tourist office’s sustained marketing and promotional activity continues to have across its key markets, Tourism Solomons CEO, Andrew Nihopara said the July figures demonstrate a clear upward trajectory for Solomon Islands tourism.
“Our focus remains fixed on rebuilding and growing arrivals from our key source markets, and the overall result, off the back of this strong regional market performance, shows clear progress toward returning to, and hopefully exceeding, pre‑COVID levels,” he said.
The Solomon Islands achieved its best visitor arrival figures in the post-COVID period last year when 2025 totals increased by more than 13 percent to reach 28,548, just 382 shy of the record 28,930 arrival figure achieved in 2019.