The Democratic Coalition for Change (DCC) Government will develop the country’s first ever National Tourism Legislation to ensure that tourism development in the country is environmentally, socio-culturally and economically viable.
The new national tourism legislation will support the existing National Tourism Policy which will also be reviewed to accommodate the challenges and new trends in the tourism sector.
The legislation and policy will be designed in a way that lessens the negative impacts of tourism development through the implementation of the new tourism legislation and other subsidiary regulations.
The Government strongly supports sustainable tourism development to enhance optimum use of resources including the protection of biological diversity, minimization of ecological, cultural and social costs and to maximize benefits for environmental conservation and management.
The Government believes that encouraging tourism development holistically will ensure the protection and maintenance of the nation’s natural and cultural resources to bring positive change to people’s livelihoods.
The roles and functions of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism together with the Solomon Islands Visitors Bureau (SIVB) will be supported both technically and financially to lead the implementation of this new tourism legislation and policy review.
Source: Press release, Government Communications Unit