• 12% growth in visitors signals post-COVID rebound as Solomon Islands targets 100,000 arrivals by 2035

BY SAMIE WAIKORI

The country’s tourism industry is gaining strong momentum as visitor arrivals continue to rise, signalling a solid recovery from the impacts of COVID-19 and renewed confidence across the sector.

Minister for Culture and Tourism Choylin Yim Douglas, speaking during Wednesday’s debate on the 2026 Appropriation Bill 2025, revealed that visitor arrivals for the third quarter of 2025 increased by 12.1% compared to the same period in 2024.

She said the upward trend puts Solomon Islands on track to reach pre-COVID levels of 30,000 visitors by the end of this year, adding that long-term projections aim much higher.

“Our overarching goal is to reach 100,000 visitor arrivals by 2035,” the Minister said. “To achieve this, we will require consistent annual growth of 11% to 15%, and based on current development activities and strong government backing, we are confident this target is achievable.”

Minister Douglas highlighted that tourism growth is strongly tied to ongoing infrastructure improvements, including upgrades to domestic and international airports which will boost connectivity, accessibility and safety for travellers.

She pointed to a string of new hotel developments and expansions in Honiara, Western, Central and Makira provinces, as well as product developments such as the Bloody Ridge National Heritage and Historical Park.

The reopening of international markets—particularly China, improvements in visa processing and the upcoming Henderson International Airport extension—are expected to drive greater visitor flows. The airport extension will pave the way for future direct flights between China and Solomon Islands.

The Minister revealed that visitor spending has climbed significantly.

The 2024 Visitor Survey shows each tourist spent an average of US$3,611 per trip, a 9.7% increase from 2023.

“With current arrivals, this translates to about SBD $800 million circulating annually in our economy,” she said.

She added that as the country expands its tourism products and experiences, the aim is to increase both visitor stay duration and daily spending—key drivers towards building a billion-dollar tourism industry by 2035.

“This will be a sustainable, inclusive and non-extractive sector that supports true economic diversification,” she told Parliament.

Minister Douglas also applauded the GNUT Government for significantly increasing the Ministry’s budget this year—the largest ever allocation for Culture and Tourism.

She said more than 75% of the Ministry’s funds were invested directly into the private sector, with 30 local tourism operators benefiting through various support programmes.

As a result, the country is expecting to add over 300 new international-standard beds to its National Room Inventory, which currently stands at 4,385 beds.

“These investments underscore the importance of empowering local Solomon Islanders to take ownership of the tourism industry,” she said.

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