Transcript
Plans for an international airport in Western Province began in 2012 with New Zealand committing US$20-million to tourism development.
New Zealand's foreign minister at the time Murray McCully opened the Munda airfield in 2013 and remarked that it would soon be welcoming tourists on international flights.
Solomon Airlines' operations manager, Dave Pearce, says that day has finally arrived with a flight scheduled from Brisbane on Saturday.
"This was supposed to happen in April last year and it's been delayed for a number of reasons but we strongly believe that once the service actually starts then sales will take-off."
Mr Pearce says regulatory and technical issues caused the series of delays.
He says beyond the airport, tourism operators have had access to interest free loans to develop and improve their offerings.
"The Tourism Infrastructure Development Fund, it was created with the aim of improving the existing infrastructure at the resorts and hotels and everything else in the Western Province."
Titiru Eco Lodge's Kilo Paza says he's been able to upgrade his business on Rendova Island.
"I now have four over water bungalows and three garden bungalows which can now take up to 20 guests."
Dive Munda's Belinda Botha says people have been working hard to ensure Western Province is ready as an international tourism gateway.
"We've also received a bit of help to make sure that our vessels, our boats, are up to international safety standards, making sure that they have been configured to make sure that we can now accommodate more guests and also be able to offer further away dive sites with the safer configuration of the boats."
Western Province is renowned for its pristine waters and its diving to the remains of sunken WWII ships.
Ms Botha says they have the attractions but they need to ensure government keeps investing in the marketing and promotion of the region so the airport investment pays off.
"This is one of the last wild frontiers left on Planet Ocean and we know for us to be able to keep this place as pristine and untouched, it's not mining, it's not logging, it's not forestry. We know tourism is the way to go."
New Zealand's High Commissioner to Solomon Islands says the direct commitment to the airport project is around US$10 million.
Don Higgins says moving away from diminishing non-renewable industries like logging is strategically important.
"It is environmentally and socially damaging so we see tourism as a way of providing sustainable income from a source that is non-extractive, if you like. And also, one of the benefits to the type of tourism we're involved in is the money accrues directly to the provinces and to those operators."
Saturday's first flight from Brisbane to Munda begins a weekly triangular route via the capital Honiara.
Solomon Airlines' Dave Pearce says direct return Brisbane-Munda flights will begin as soon as ticket sales allow.
He says the longer term goal is multiple weekly flights and the addition of Sydney and Auckland.
