IOM is working with the Jelto Island community in Majuro Atoll to launch a Women-Led Domestic Tourism Pilot Project.
It is working alongside technical partners Ministry of Natural Resources and Commerce (NRC), Office of Commerce Investment and Tourism (OCIT), Women United Together in Marshall Islands (WUTMI), Jibron Ae Entrepreneurs (JAE) and other technical representatives and members of the private sector.
A full day workshop last month included a discussion on the project, the status quo of domestic tourism in the RMI (including discussion of the impacts to the tourism industry from Covid-19) and rollout of activities in 2021.
Discussion included decision making on roles and responsibilities of all partners and the three locations to conduct site visits and a feasibility study. IOM said it was excited to have launched the project in a different beautiful location on Majuro and look forward to continuing to showcase all the RMI has to offer with this unique pilot project.
The domestic tourism project project is funded by the IOM International Development Fund.
The IOM-funded tourism project will support the RMI government’s efforts toward developing economic self-reliance through the design and implementation of a new innovative pilot program for women from a selected rural destination to start and manage their own businesses in tourism.
The aim is to expand people’s income generating opportunities — “livelihood diversification” — by using a value chain technique where at least three businesses are developed across the visitor experience, including accommodation, food and beverage, and activities and attractions.
The project will address the major issue of rural to urban migration, as outlined in the RMI National Strategic Plan 2030 by providing alternate opportunities for rural communities where there were none before.