Thinking on Exploitation of Tourism Resources and Development of Tourism Industry in the Republic of Kiribati

Jin XU

University of Queensland, Brisbane 4072, Australia

Abstract The endowment of tourism resources is the material foundation for the development of tourism industry. However, at present, there is no special study about Kiribati’s tourism resources, landscape features, and industrial development inside and outside of Kiribati. Through review and analysis, the author believes that Kiribati’s national tourism resources are rich, distinctive and have high development potential, and it will play a major role in Kiribati’s economic and social development. Its tourism resources could be exploited from 9 aspects including characteristic geography, human landscape, ecological environment, water sports and historical sites. At present, the infrastructure such as transportation and communication in Kiribati is poor, and the tourism industry is still weak and small, remains at starting stage, lacks overall planning, and professional talents are short. In summary, it is necessary to be improved in many ways. It is recommended that Kiribati should vigorously develop cultural and educational undertakings, strengthen the infrastructure construction across the country, formulate national tourism development plans, focus on the construction of five major scenic tourist areas, and stick to the green, ecological and sustainable development principle.

Key words Kiribati, Tourism industry, exploitation of tourism resources, National planning, Characteristic cultural and tourism products

1 Introduction

The Republic of Kiribati and the People’s Republic of China (PRC) established diplomatic relations on June 25, 1980. However, On November 29, 2003, Kiribati insisted on establishing so-called "diplomatic relations" with the Taiwan authorities. In this situation, the Chinese government immediately decided to suspend diplomatic relations with Kiribati. On September 20, 2019, the Kiribati government made a statement announcing cutting off the so-called "diplomatic relations" with Taiwan, and acknowledged the one-China principle, and resumed diplomatic relations with China[1]; in the same month, Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi signedJointCommuniquéontheResumptionofDiplomaticRelationsBetweenthePeople’sRepublicofChinaandtheRepublicofKiribatiin New York with the President and Foreign Minister of the Republic of Kiribati. With the immediate effect, the two countries resumed ambassadorial diplomatic relations and Kiribati became the 180th country that has established diplomatic relations with China. The resumption of diplomatic relations between Kiribati and China is a vivid reflection of the one-China principle.

The peoples of China and Kiribati have always been friendly to each other. In South Tarawa Island, China has set up the satellite tracking station , which was the first permanent facility of China in South Pacific. The resumption of diplomatic relations will open a new page in the development of relations between China and Kiribati. While studying for a master’s degree in tourism management at the University of Queensland in Australia, I have traveled to Pacific island countries on several occasions and have done some studies and survey of Kiribati. Kiribati’s land area is small and far apart, and its economy is very underdeveloped. However, for tourists, it is a very distinctive tourist site, and it is a beautiful place rarely known. At present, there is no special study about Kiribati’s tourism resources, landscape features, and industrial development at home and abroad. In view of this, I reviewed and analyzed the tourism resources of Kiribati, in order to provide certain references for its economic construction and social development.

2 Geographical conditions of Kiribati

The Republic of Kiribati (4°43′-11°25′ N, 169°32′ E-150°35′ W) (Kiribati for short) is an island country located in the central Pacific Ocean (Fig.1), and is the largest coral reef country in the world. Kiribati consists of 33 islands, separately belonging to the Line Islands (east), the Phoenix Islands (central), and the Gilbert Islands (west). Kiribati is 3 870 km long from east to west, 2 050 km wide from north to south, covering a total land area of 810.5 km2. It is distributed on the sea surface of 350 × 106km2. It is the country with the most scattered land distribution in the world, and the only country that crosses the equator and crosses the International Date Line (IDL), and is an island country that spans four hemispheres[3]. The islands within its territory are coral islands. The larger islands are surrounded by atolls. The reef is a lagoon. The famous island in the east is Christmas Island. The westernmost island is Banaba Island. Its capital is located on Tarawa, in the center of the Gilbert Islands. Banaba Island was formed by a volcanic eruption, and the remaining islands are all low-level coral islands. The land is poor and sandy, and there are no rivers or lakes. Banaba Island covers an area of 6.5 km2and the highest point is 81 m above sea level, which is also the highest point of Kiribati. Christmas Island is 2 080 km south of Hawaii (1°59′ N, 157°30′ W), and land area is 363 km2, is the largest atoll in Kiribati and the Pacific Ocean. Tarawa Island (1°30′ N, 173° E) is the main island of the Gilbert Islands and is the main island of Kiribati. It is has a land area of 20 km2and takes on a slightly triangular form (Fig.1). The southern town of Bailiki is the capital of the Republic of Kiribati. The climate of Kiribati is a tropical maritime climate, with an average annual temperature of 27.5℃, the difference between the highest temperature and the lowest temperature being only 12℃; the average annual precipitation is 1 600 mm, but the differences vary widely, and some islands are even less than 300 mm. In recent years, affected by the El Nio phenomenon, Kiribati has suffered continuous drought and rain for more than 10 months annually. Its official language is English, and the common language among the residents is Kiribati and English. Most Kiribati people believe in Catholicism; they have close relations with the United Kingdom. Its defense is undertaken by Australia, there is no army, and there are only about 300 police officers.

Kiribati has a population of 116 000, of which more than 90% belong to the Micronesian race; more than 90% of the population is distributed in the Gilbert Islands, with an average density of 200 people/km2. Its national economy is largely dependent on foreign aid and is included by the United Nations into the list of least developed countries. The arable land area of Kiribati is 7.1×104ha. The main crop is coconut. Coconut and fishery are the two pillars of the national economy. Export commodities are mainly dried coconut, fish and handicrafts, while imported commodities are mainly food, fuel, machinery, transportation equipment,etc. The transportation is mainly by sea and there is no railway. Port of Tarawa Island is the most important seaport in Kiribati . There are international airports in Tarawa and Christmas Island and there are two international flights, Air Pacific and Our Airline. They can directly travel from the capital Tarawa to Nadi, Fiji and Brisbane, Australia. In terms of the industry, there are only a few small businesses, such as handicrafts, seafood processing, clothing, furniture, and small and micro-shipbuilding.

Fig.1 Map for location of Kiribati in the Pacific

3 Endowment and exploitation of tourism resources in Kiribati

The Line Islands, the easternmost part of Kiribati, was once a nuclear test area for the United States and the United Kingdom. The famous main island Christmas Island was the center of the nuclear test base at that time. The Phoenix Islands was the second largest marine ecological reserve in the world. Gorgeous coral reefs and sprawling creatures are the hosts here. Therefore, Kiribati’s tourist areas are currently mainly the Gilbert Islands in the west, but this does not mean that the Lion Islands and the Phoenix Islands have no tourism resources. On the contrary, with the extension of time and the development of the times, the tourism value of these two islands will definitely become very prominent. According to my observation and reports from of tourists, Kiribati’s tourism resources are very rich in South Pacific island countries, and it can be exploited from 9 aspects, including characteristic geography, human landscape, ecological environment, water sports, and historical sites.

3.1 "A country to be underwater"Due to the "greenhouse effect", the global temperature has been rising, and sea level has been rising accordingly. In the next 50 years, it will rise by an average of 37.6 cm. At that time, many coastal areas in the world will be submerged by seawater. At present, the Republic of Maldives in the Indian Ocean islands and Tuvalu in the South Pacific islands are probably the best-known "nations to be submerged off". Their common features are low terrain and low altitude. The former is only 1.2 m on average, and the highest is only about 4 m, both of which are the lowest in the world. In fact, Kiribati is also facing the same situation. Kiribati ’s "sound volume" to resist global climate change is far earlier and greater than Maldives and Tuvalu. It has made unremitting efforts and even has bought 24 km2of land in Fiji to relocate the country, but the effect is little[4]. The territory of Kiribati is gradually being swallowed by seawater (Fig.2), and it is expected that a large amount of land will be submerged in the next 50-60 years. Thinking that such a beautiful country will be flooded and will sink to the bottom of the sea, many people in the world will feel very unfortunate, and they may want to take the time to go sightseeing while the beauty still exists. Is this a tourism resource? Is this a tourism resource that can be exploited？ Although it is a pity, the answer is affirmative. How humans live in harmony with nature is an increasingly important issue.

3.2 The first country in the world to start a "new day"Kiribati is located in the center of the Pacific Ocean and has its outstanding geographical features. Apart from the above mentioned landscape of Coral Island, it is also very awesome in terms of location. The eastern part of Kiribati is located in the eastern hemisphere, and the western part is located in the western hemisphere. For a long time, Kiribati is the only country in the world to cross the International Date Line (IDL), and it is the first place in the world where the sun rises. Besides, Kiribati’s territory also crosses the equator, so it crosses the southern and northern hemispheres.

Specifically, the main Gilbert Islands in Kiribati’s islands are located in the west of the meridian 180°, while the Phoenix and Line Islands are in the east of the meridian 180°. The islands includes the east, west, north and south hemispheres, so Kiribati is the only country in the world that spans the four hemispheres. If you lie on your back at the intersection of the longitude 180° and the equator and stretch your limbs, you will reach four hemispheres at the same time; half of your body is today and the other half is tomorrow. Unfortunately, this intersection is in the sea. Some people have described it this way: when working in the western hemisphere of Kiribati, the eastern hemisphere is at the weekend; one island of Kiribati is celebrating the first day of the week, while another island has just arrived on New Year’s Eve; if you like, you can always go back to yesterday and enjoy the differences between the two days, like vortex in the day and stars in the night[5].

If divided according to the theoretical time zone, the time between the east and west of Kiribati will differ by one day. This is very inconvenient. Therefore, Kiribati set the legal time zones of the Phoenix Islands and the Line Islands as UTC+13 and UTC+14, respectively, making it the same day as the Gilbert Islands in the UTC+12 time zone, but the time is earlier. In this way, The Line Islands became the first place in the world to use the UTC+14 time zone, and Kiribati became the earliest country in the world to begin a "new day." Just for this reason, Caroline Island in Kiribati became the first area to see the sunrise of the new millennium on January 1, 2000, so it was renamed Millennium Island. In fact, both the sunrise and sunset on the sea in Kiribati are quite magnificent (Fig.3). The flying seabird in Fig.3 is called fregata, and is the national bird of Kiribati.

3.3 Marine environment and scenery closest to the primitive ecologyIn Kiribati, there is no large industrial production, but only some handicrafts and small repair industries. The economy is self-sufficient and underdeveloped, but the beauty it has is not available in many rapidly developing countries. Chinese tourists go to Kiribati mainly by plane. Kiribati is so beautiful when viewed from a high altitude: a hook-shaped coral island with a light green lagoon on one side and a dark blue sea on the other, and the land is a green (mainly dense palm forest). The main island of Kiribati is the capital Tarawa, which is actually a road. As far as we know, except for the large number of nuclear tests conducted by the United States and Britain in the Line Islands in the early years, Kiribati has almost no pollution in other areas and it has marine environment and tourist areas that are closet to the primitive ecology(Fig.4). This is precious tourism resource and deserves to be treasured and exploited.

Thus, Kiribati has special significance for geoscience research. Its unique natural location makes it an important site for studying equatorial atmospheric motion and ocean fluctuations related to global climate. Its near-primitive ecosystem provides ideal sites and materials for both ancient and modern biological research. Most of islands in Kiribati are low-level coral islands, which provide observational objects for studying island dynamics such as coral reef growth and shoreline accumulation and erosion. The soil development of Kiribati has the role of native plants and birds, so it can be used as a model of soil development in similar environments; the air quality of non-pollution sources and the state of the primitive marine area can become a reference for global ecological quality. In the opinion of some Chinese scholars, Kiribati is small, but its primitive ecology remains intact, and there is a bright prospect for cooperation with Kiribati to conduct geoscience research[6].

3.4 Simple, honest and warmhearted island residentsPeople are the most beautiful scenery and also the best tourist image. At present, Kiribati is economically poor and people there has a simple life, but the people are honest and simple, warmhearted and friendly; the society is in an orderly manner, and people arrange fishing work and school study at the tide rhythm; local children greet foreign tourists with warm and sweet smile when they see them; the lads are masculine and handsome, and the elderly people look kind; shy girls will also be invited to play the game of eagles catching chickens with tourists. Especially, Kiribati people are optimistic and love smiling, and their smiles come naturally from the bottom of their hearts, making tourists pleasing to the eye and feeling good(Fig.5). In my opinion, this is almost invisible in highly developed countries and regions, and it is the most precious and beautiful tourist landscape. The formation of this landscape has its corresponding sociological basis: in Kiribati, people are generally equal, they are less hierarchically differentiated, and the society is very harmonious. Men, women, children, young and old never have the title, and it is also like this in the family. People usually greet to each other by name. In any occasion, any time and any place, people just greet to each other by name. However, in the diplomatic occasions they abide by the internationally-used title[7]. Isn’t such a landscape a tourist resource in Kiribati?

3.5 Intoxicating and charming folk danceKiribati is small and have few people. People have a simple life, but they do not feel lonely. They are optimistic, cheerful, and often sing and dance. Both men and women will dance with local Micronesian characteristics. When singing and dancing, men and women put on traditional costumes (wearing garlands, straw mats, coconut leaf garlands around their waists and necks, arms and ankles). Frequent steps, rapid shift of center of gravity, unique tree and dance posture, vigorous rough style, shouting while screaming, accompanied by a simple concerto hit by wooden boards and boxes, like a symphony. Dancers become more and more active, and even different performance teams perform more vigorously, not only intoxicating themselves, but also intoxicating the viewers. They couldn’t help singing and dancing with them, and throw gifts to them from time to time. In Kiribati, any festival celebration, arrival of any relatives and friends, any happy party, is not separated from cheerful song and dance, sometimes songs and dances followed by songs and dances(Fig.6). Wu Zhonghua, China’s first ambassador to Kiribati, was impressed by the country’s song and dance, and said it was "intoxicating and charming"[7].

Fig.2 Some territories of Kiribati are disappearing due to seawater flooding

Fig.3 Sunrise and sunset on the sea in Kiribati

Fig.4 Kiribati environment and scenery closest to the primitive ecology

Fig.5 Simple, honest and warmhearted island residents

Fig.6 Folk songs and dances of Kiribati young people

3.6 Characteristic houses and buildingsMost of islands in Kiribati are narrow and long coral reef islands. The narrowest sections are only a few meters wide, and in some places there are dozens or even kilometers of faults. All buildings in Kiribati are built along the coast, and the sea is just behind the houses. Living in Kiribati is just like living on a huge dam. Most of the houses are built with wooden frames, and the walls and roofs are mostly built with palm leaves. They look very low, but the top of the house is high (large roof). People’s activities inside are not affected, large roof can block the strong sunlight and the violent impact of heavy rain. Villages also have a place similar to a community activity center. The main building is usually a large roof house. Villagers stay there to avoid heat, have a party, relax, dance, sing, or have barbecue parties. Children may play football and games nearby. Some houses have no walls, few furniture, and are very shabby. Some residents set up thatched pavilion outside the room as a daily leisure place for the family. Such buildings are very suitable for the local climate. They are both rainproof and sunproof. Due to the high roof, there is no fence below, and it is well ventilated and cool. Few people live in brick buildings, and the interior furnishings of brick buildings are few. TVs, refrigerators, and washing machines are rare, but some families have kept old-fashioned sewing machines and electric fans made in China. The most beautiful buildings in Kiribati include the Parliament Building, the Catholic Mormon Church, and the National Museum(Fig.7). The most magnificent building is the gymnasium built by China in that year[8].

3.7 Various marine leisure and sports availableKiribati is rich in fisheries resources and the fishery an important position in its national economy (the fishing license fee paid by foreign fishery companies is one of the main foreign exchange sources of the government). The species are mainly tuna, Pagrus major (red sea bream), Katsuwonus pelamis,etc. Many of Kiribati’s atoll areas are good attractions. There are a lot of lagoons, islands and coral reefs. Tourists can see various special fishes such as whales, dolphins and big eye tuna (Thunnus obesus). At present, Kiribati’s domestic fishing industry is limited to offshore and lagoon fishing, and is mainly family operation. Kiribati people eat fish just like rice. People like fish, and fish is their staple food.

Kiribati people are not only hardworking, but also very brave. Many people are good at fishing and sailing. They can go fishing in terrifying waves with a small boat; even sailing on the stormy sea, they can locate fishes accurately. The seafood freshly caught is sold on the shore at very low price. According to local customs, friends and family relatives get together to go fishing in the sea is an important part of the host entertaining guests. It is generally believed that Kiribati people are simple and honest, and even if they hold important positions like president, they still maintain the characteristics of ordinary people. After arriving in Kiribati, accompanied by a local guide, tourists can enjoy the beautiful scenery and fishing, it is naturally a very good tourism and leisure experience.

More than 70% of the world land is covered by water, and water sports around the world have long been flourishing. Kiribati is surrounded by oceans, and it is a world of water. It is very suitable for water recreation. There are many projects. Apart from the fish watching, fishing, tourists can also do cruises, jet skis, yachts, sailing, rafting, and paddling, boating, diving, surfing, and so on. At present, there is almost no aquatic leisure and entertainment projects in Kiribati for tourists. Basically, related projects are spontaneously launched by tourists after arriving in Kiribati. Although there are not many projects, tourists still give satisfactory feedback (Fig.8).

3.8 Tragic remains of World War IIKiribati has a very long coastline and is a strategically important island. During 1941-1943, the Japanese army occupied the Gilbert Islands. During World War II, brutal naval battles across the Pacific also took place in Kiribati. The fighting was extremely bloody and fierce, especially in the western islands of Tarawa. To seize Kiribati, the US forces launched the famous "Battle of Tarawa". In this battle, more than 1 500 US soldiers sacrificed, and more than 4 700 Japanese soldiers were killed. At present, there are still many World War II relics in Kiribati, and many large coastal defense turrets and sturdy concrete bunkers can be seen from time to time during seaside excursions. When the sea ebbs, we can see the wreckage of a large number of US warships and destroyed tanks (Fig.9). Everywhere reminds people that the Allied Forces and the Japanese Fascists had a bloody battle there, and peace did not come easily. There is a book called The Gilbert Islands in World War II, and a movie called The Battle of Tarawa. Both recalled and recorded the war that took place there. This should be a very important tourist landscape and resource in Kiribati.

3.9 Five islands with unique sceneryTarawa Island: Kiribati’s main island and the most populous island. The town of Bailiki in the south is the capital, and the island of Betio in the southwest is the main port of Bailiki. Shipwrecks in World War II and diving are the island’s largest characteristic tourist attractions.

Abemama Island: 152 km from Tarawa Island, 16 km2of land area, surrounded by lagoons, beautiful tropical scenery, a good place for Kiribati sightseeing. The silvery beaches are long and distant, and the blue water is endless.

Phoenix Islands Protected Area (PIPA): one of the "healthiest" coral archipelagoes on the planet, holding a large number of islands and 800 species of animals, including 500 species of fish, 18 species of marine mammals and 44 species of birds[9]. The structure and function of this protected area ecosystem show the nature of its primitive ecology and its importance as a species migration route and storage. There are 14 known submarine peaks and other deep-sea habitats (Fig.10).

Christmas Island: it is the top of a submarine volcano with a land area of 388 km2. Except for some small area sandy beaches, the rest of 80 km of rugged coastline is surrounded by cliffs. The island is inhabited by a variety of rare and endangered wild animals, forming a unique ecological landscape. Especially during the end of each year and the beginning of the next year, the sight of hundreds of millions of red crabs mating in the seaside is amazing. The island has beautiful scenery and more than 30 kinds of animals and plants are unique to the world. After ebb of tide, tall betel palms, tropical sweet potato with large leaves, and tropical trees such as bananas, pineapples, and bread trees. This island is the largest seabird paradise in the Pacific Ocean, more than 6 million seabirds inhabit there[10].

Fig.7 National Museum of Kiribati, traditional large roof houses and villages

Fig.8 Marine leisure sports in Kiribati

Fig.9 Remains of Japanese armor and US warships in the Tarawa Sea

Fig.10 Coral, reef and marine fishes in the waters of the Phoenix Islands

Millennium Island: formerly known as "Caroline Island", the highest point is 6 m above sea level, an uninhabited island, a pure white beach coast, blue and transparent sea water, beautiful underwater corals, the earliest place on the earth to welcome sunrise, and one of the tropical islands with most simple and honest residents.

4 Problems in the tourism development of Kiribati and recommendations

4.1 Main problemsThe three basic elements of tourism activities are tourism resources, tourism facilities, and tourism services. Kiribati is rich in tourism resources and the potential is huge, but there are still obvious shortcomings in tourism facilities and tourism services, which require high attention. The main problems are as follows.

The level of economic development is low, the development of tourism resources is weak, and there is a lack of systematic tourism planning and necessary scenic area design. As a result, the tourism characteristics of the different islands in the main tourist area (Gilbert Islands) are not significant, they are excessively dependent on natural resources and landscapes, and the investment in tourism is obviously insufficient.

Roads are narrow and few, and land transportation is obviously inconvenient; communication in urban areas is relatively smooth, and communication conditions in slightly remote islands have become significantly worse; major islands rarely have supporting facilities and exploitation for tourism functions. At present, Kiribati is dominated by sea transportation. Tarawa is the most important seaport and airport. State-owned shipping companies operate passenger and freight services between islands, but they do not have more than 15 ships and their tonnage is very small. There are two international airports in Kiribati, located in the capitals of Tarawa and Christmas Island, available to neighboring countries such as Tuvalu, Fiji, Hawaii, and Christmas Island. Now, tourists from distant countries to Kiribati have to depart from Hawaii, USA and Brisbane, Australia. Kiribati has only three national passenger and cargo aircrafts, two of which are used for navigation between domestic islands, and only one is for international flights. The road length per 1 000 people is only 6 m, and most of them are sandy roads with very narrow road surfaces.

In addition, the illiteracy rate of Kiribati people is high, which affects the quality of tourism services. The education of Kiribati is very underdeveloped. Currently, there are only 8 primary schools, 17 middle schools, and 2 higher schools in the whole country, namely, Kiribati Normal School and Tarawa Institute of Technology, and one seafarer training school co-organized with Germany. In the 1990s, the number of illiterate people in Kiribati accounted for 80% of the national population. Now it has decreased, but the illiteracy rate is still higher than 70%.

Tourism has already brought considerable benefits to Kiribati, but the management, education, and service personnel required for tourism in Kiribati are generally insufficient. It is obviously at the low development stage without high organization, professional level, and normalization.

The tourism consumption structure of tourists in Kiribati is mainly accommodation, transportation and catering consumption. The proportion of shopping, excursion and entertainment consumption is very low. The structure and level of the tourism industry are low, and there are few special tourism cultural products, which limit the income and quality of tourism.

4.2 Countermeasures and recommendations(i) It is recommended to develop culture and education. Extensive studies have shown that tourism development is closely related to destination residents. Support of residents has a significant impact on tourism development, project operation and sustainable development. Attitudes of residents towards tourism are associated with their cultural quality and education level. Kiribati has very good tourism resources and great potential for exploitation. However, from the perspective of sustainable development, the cultural and education development should be the basis for the development of its tourism industry and various undertakings. More efforts should be made to accelerate development culture and education, including adult education. The high cultural and education quality of residents, high-quality and sufficient number of tourism professional personnel will definitely have a profound impact on the development of tourism and related industries in Kiribati.

(ii) It is recommended to strengthen transportation, communication infrastructure construction Modern tourists often have limited time to travel, so tourists care much about the efficiency, comfort, and convenient communication. Kiribati should vigorously strengthen the construction of tourism infrastructure, focus on transportation facilities, especially the development of highway transportation on the island, increase the mileage of highways, raise the level of highway hardening, and strive to basically establish a three-dimensional, modern tourism transportation network and communication network combining roads, aviation and water transportation within 10 years. Especially, for tourism featuring islands and oceans, it is recommended to attach great importance to professional medical and life-saving guarantees and service conditions.

(iii) It is recommended to formulate tourism development plan. It is recommended to formulate and implement the national development plan in a scientific and effective manner, clarify the strategic deployment and specific arrangements of the goals during the planning period, guide the direction of public resource allocation, and standardize the behavior of market entities, which are favorable for maintaining the continuity and stability of the national strategy. Leading economic and social development with planning is an important way for the Chinese party to govern the country, and it is an important reflection and successful experience of China’s contemporary development model. Kiribati can learn this experience. Tourism is a comprehensive industry, it involves many aspects of the national economy. Thus, formulating development plans at the national level will play a very important strategic guiding function. If Kiribati can make a scientific, comprehensive and perspective top-level plan for the development of the country’s tourism industry at the national level, make overall arrangements for the development and utilization of tourism resources and destinations across the country, determine the overall direction of tourism development and layout of various construction projects within a certain geographical area, as well as the layout, training and construction of professional tourism personnel, it will have a significant and long-term impact on the development of Kiribati’s national tourism industry. Kiribati is a small country with a small population. Since its independence, the elections have been fierce but generally peaceful. Developing the economy, improving people’s livelihood, and eradicating poverty are the basic tasks of all parties. There are conditions for raising the tourism industry to the national industry level and formulate a development plan, and it can be realized.

(iv) It is recommended to develop the five scenic areas. In Kiribati, there are mainly five scenic areas, namely, Tarawa Island, Abemama Island, Phoenix Islands Protected Area, Christmas Island, and Millennium Island. The endowment of tourism resources is excellent and characteristic, and the development potential is huge. At present, Kiribati has taken advantage of its geographical advantage of crossing the International Date Line to develop tourism and has made some achievements, which has increased its international popularity. However, it just stops at this. From 2000, there are few reports about Kiribati. Christmas Island is famous mainly because it is the world’s largest atoll, a world-famous bird sanctuary and a first-class diving site, but no more than 2 000 tourists come there every year. Therefore, it is recommended to take the above five scenic areas as important scenic tourist areas for tourism development at the national level, strengthen overall planning and key construction, and provide the priority support; make effort to develop marine culture and local characteristic folk culture, and improve the current situation that tourism development is excessively dependent on natural resources and single products; strengthen the participation of tourists, instead of simply "travel on island", "tribal tour", and "sea tour"; cultivate tourism brand strategies, expand tourism hinterland, and give small island tourism unique charm, "one island, one product" and "joint construction of several islands".

(v) It is recommended to adhere to the principles of green, ecological and sustainable development. The richness and uniqueness of resources are the foundation and precondition for sustainable development of tourism. In Kiribati, the most valuable tourism resource is its marine environment and scenery that are closest to the primitive ecology. However, in the development of tourism, there often exists the contradiction between ecological and economic benefits and sometimes this contradiction is considerably prominent. In this situation, when developing the tourism, Kiribati should make a long term plan for determining the order of development of tourism resources, the use of tourism land, the spatial layout and development of infrastructure, the tourism market and environmental protection, and the source and scale of investment. It should not be at the expense the ecological environment. Instead, it is recommended to make ecological civilization penetrate throughout the entire process of tourism economic development, adhere to scientific development, eco-tourism, green development, care about the integration of tourism resources, optimize the industrial structure, improve the management system, and advocate simple consumption, so as to guarantee sustainable development of the tourism industry.

5 Conclusions

Kiribati has unique and representative characteristics in many Pacific island countries. At present, it is faced with difficult task of promoting national economic development and resisting the threat of climate change. It is internationally believed that Kiribati is a "pure land" far from modern civilization. It has rich tourism resources and enormous development potential of tourism industry, the tourism will play a great role in Kiribati’s economic and social development. It can be expected that through 5 to 10 years of construction and development, the income of Kiribati from tourism industry will account for more than 35% of its GDP. Excellent economic conditions will also make Kiribati obtain greater support in combating the threat of global climate change.