Tourism in the Solomon Islands is seeing a remarkable resurgence, with the latest international visitor statistics reflecting the best performance for the first quarter since 2019. According to the Solomon Islands National Statistics Office, visitor arrivals surged by 14.5% from 4,903 in the same quarter of 2024 to 5,612 in 2025.
Australian tourists continued to lead the influx, with 1,570 arrivals representing a 5.08% increase from the previous year. Notably, the North American market exhibited the most significant growth, experiencing a 16% rise in visitors, climbing from 375 to 435 during this period.
Other key source markets showed mixed results: Fiji saw a slight uptick of 2.2% (from 499 to 510 visitors), while arrivals from New Zealand fell by 5.9% (from 354 to 333) and Papua New Guinea recorded a decrease of 5.12% (from 469 to 444). Interestingly, the collective numbers from South Pacific countries rose dramatically by 96.5%, jumping from 230 to 452.
Dagnal Dereveke, the Acting CEO of Tourism Solomons, attributes these positive outcomes to several major events hosted in the country, including the 2025 Miss South Pacific Pageant Tournament in February and the Honiara Summit on Sustainable Development Goals (SDG14) in March, alongside the 2025 Oceania Football Confederation Champions League Tournament.
Additionally, arrivals from Asia, largely driven by Chinese passport holders, increased significantly by 44.9%, from 885 to 1,282 visitors.
Despite these encouraging statistics, Dereveke emphasized that the focus should remain on rebuilding and expanding to pre-COVID visitor levels, especially in the leisure market. He conveyed optimism about how these numbers set a strong foundation for the tourism sector’s future in 2025, encouraging stakeholders to continue working toward sustained growth.
In light of this positive trend, the tourism industry’s recovery not only highlights a return to form but also brings hope for the local economy and communities dependent on this critical sector. As more visitors discover the natural beauty and cultural richness of the Solomon Islands, the outlook remains optimistic for continued growth.
Leave a comment