Anuta Island Bird Watch Attraction Draws Tourists Annually
BY LIONEL TAORAO
ANUTA Island in the west Makira constituency of Makira/Ulawa Province has been receiving a good number of tourists visiting their island for bird-watching activities.
One of the program’s organizers, a teacher by profession, Mr. Hansel Borisau, revealed that tourists have been visiting their island since 2002 after they formed a partnership with Heritage Expedition Company, a New Zealand-based company in Auckland, through Destination Solomon Limited, which facilitates the visits to the Solomon Islands.
“These tourists came to Anuta Island through an organized expedition coordinated by the Heritage Expedition Company based in Auckland, New Zealand,” Mr. Borisau said.
“Heritage Expedition Company liaises with the Solomon Islands local tourism operator, Destination Solomon’s Limited, who is facilitating the visits in the country,” he adds.
Mr. Borisau said that just last week, on April 1st, a total of 90 tourists visited Anuta Island for bird watching and photographing of some of the different bird species endemic to Makira Island.
“Early this month, a total of 90 tourists visited our island on a tourist boat for bird-watching activities, as many different bird species can be found and seen in our area, and most of these species are endemic to Makira Island,” he added.
Mr. Borisau says that Makira/Ulawa province has many potential tourism sites that are still not known in the outside world because of their remoteness, with many beautiful places and beaches where tourists can come and visit, and he calls on the future leaders of the province to look into developing the tourism industry in the province.
“Our leaders need to look into ways to develop and promote tourism in the Makira/Ulawa Province because, spread across the Makira/Ulawa Province, there are many potential areas or hotspots in the province so that tourists can come and visit our potential sites,” he said.
Hansel Borisau later encouraged that nearby communities around Anuta Island should start to look at and learn from Anuta Island and try to see how they can also be included in such expeditions by offering other activities apart from what Anuta is offering at the moment.
“Nearby communities on mainland Makira can also work and offer to visiting tourists other activities like cultural entertainment, the provision of some snorkeling areas, and bush hiking activities, which our neighboring communities can work on to offer to visitors, and we can help facilitate these activities for them,” he added.
He added that they are now working on constructing homestays and bungalows for tourists, as for the past years, visiting tourists only visit one day and sail off since they don’t have any homestays. He adds that his people on Anuta for the past years have really benefited from these visits, both financially and through constructive social interaction with the outside world.
SOURCE: MASI Stringer in Makira/Ulawa
