Meet Kiarake Karuaki, the Tourism Officer for Product Development with the Tourism Authority of Kiribati (TAK). She’s been employed by TAK for the last three years and finds working in the tourism industry fun and engaging. Meeting new people daily and assisting them with their inquiries for a destination experience is not something every civil servant can get.

“Being a Tourism Officer has given me that unique experience I adore. Customer satisfaction is the best part, and it always puts a smile on my face knowing that I did my job well,” Ms Karuaki said.

“However, working for sustainable tourism development is very different from what we usually do in the office. It’s about putting theory into practice and it can be demanding, but the result is always extra amazing. I have had the opportunity to live with the communities to get to know them well, build strong relationships, and be part of one big family. This is what I enjoy the most, especially when they are willing to be part of the project because, without the community, there’s no sustainable tourism.”

Ms. Karuaki first got involved in Sustainable Tourism through the implementation of the Least Developed Country Fund Project (LDCF – Project 1) Enhancing National Food Security in the Context of Global Climate Change aimed at building community capacity to enhance food security in the face of climate change.

“Communities are the heart of sustainability. We cannot achieve regenerative and sustainable tourism without the communities. Culture is at the core of community tourism products and a major selling point for Kiribati as a visitor destination,” she said.

“Personally, climate change has impacted us in many ways. Working with the communities to develop community-based tourism using their land, sea, and cultural resources have made me realise how vulnerable they are to the impacts of climate change.

“Presenting the adaptation stories of our people to visitors will be a unique and touching experience as they learn about how our local communities in Kiribati use CBT as a mitigation and adaptation tool against the impacts of climate change.”

Product development, licensing, and monitoring constitutes a significant component of Ms Karuaki’s role in supporting the development of niche tourism products, both new and existing, within Kiribati. Her primary responsibility is to work closely with local communities to develop community- based tourism products that would enhance their food security in the context of climate change.

Ms Karuaki is working with Kiribati’s pilot islands of Abemama and Nonouti. She explains that for Abemama, five participating communities were guided in developing products to provide alternative livelihoods.

“For example, a group of local women in Abemama formed an Association for Women in Handicrafts. These have allowed women to sell their products, enhance their skills and teach other women. Other communities, like Reina, developed their community tours based on traditional activities such as copra cutting, farming, food preparation, and many more. Abatiku Isle was also assisted with their Marine Protected Area tour and other marine-based tourism activities such as sandworm harvesting. All these create alternative livelihoods,” she said.

“While Nonouti communities were guided on presenting their unique local cuisine as a visitor experience fly fishing was promoted as a fisheries resources conservation tool. These niche products contribute to community empowerment through the creation of new income generation opportunities.”

Ms Karuaki believes that Kiribati can achieve Goal 4 on Healthy Islands and Oceans of the Pacific Sustainable Tourism Policy Framework in the Pacific through the development of Community-Based Tourism (CBT) not only in Kiribati but throughout the Pacific. CBT is where culture, society, community, and natural resources (land and marine resources) come together and be part of the visitor experience.

“Throughout my years of work with the development of CBT in Kiribati, I realise how CBT is a key contributor to achieving sustainability. It promotes cultural preservation, conserves our resources and is a source of income which are essential to the health of islands and oceans. Without practicing sustainability in the way we plan and develop tourism, there will be no such thing as a healthy island and ocean,” she said.

ENDS.