SOLOMON Islands will soon establish a Tourism office in Tokyo, Japan.

The new establishment has already received its blessing by the Permanent Secretary of Ministry of Culture & Tourism Mr Andrew Nihopara and SI Honorary Consul in Tokyo Mr Takahiro Kitano CSI CBE when they signed the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on April 3 this year.

Mr Nihopara said the MOU was formulated in accordance with the discussions and mutual understanding between the Ministry and the Tokyo Honorary Consulate in recognising the importance to establish an effective partnership that would enable a comprehensive, accessible and respectful system for tourism promotion of Solomon Islands in the Japanese market.

He said his Ministry and the Tokyo Honorary Consulate are committed to push Solomon Islands in the Japanese market through the SI Tourism Office that is being established within Mr Kitano’s Office in Tokyo through this partnership.

Mr Nihopara said the operation and management of the Tokyo Office is being resourced and supported by the Honorary Consul, and Japanese staffs are being engaged to operate the Office in Tokyo.

“With all reasons, the engaged staffs are familiar with the outbound market and have established network connections within the Japanese tourism trade market,” he said.

Nihopara further explained that his Ministry in partnership with the Solomon Islands Visitors Bureau will be supporting the Tokyo Office with updated information on tourism products and services, facilitate communications between the Tokyo Office and other relevant Government Ministries in areas of mutual interest and where relevant resource the Tokyo Office to represent the destination at international tourism trade and consumer events within Japan.

“Japan has been a key tourism market globally and the Pacific in particular.

“This latest move to establish the SI Tourism Office Tokyo is anticipated to launch long awaited platform for luring more Japanese visitors to the Solomon Islands.

“The key objective of this latest level of representation in tourism is to enhance the linkage between the two countries in tourism, which has immense economic potential, which has not been fully explored in the past,” he said.

Nihopara adds that the level of representation is crucial because of the language barrier issue so on-the-ground representation would bridge that gap.

He said his ministry is optimistic the initiative will no doubt boost the awareness of SI in the lucrative Japanese tourist market and could also lead to new market opportunities and create tourism investment leads.

PS Nihopara conveyed his appreciation to HE Kitano for this gesture of continuous goodwill and friendship on behalf of the SI Government.