Solomon Islands has unveiled a new global tourism identity, reviving a nickname from the 1960s as the Pacific nation tries to stand out in a crowded regional market. Tourism Solomons will promote the country as the “Hapi Isles – Real, Rare, Raw”, a brand built around its culture, reefs, rainforests and the warmth of its people.

The identity was announced by the Pacific Asia Travel Association on 10 November. It draws on “Hapi Isles”, the Pijin English version of “Happy Islands”, a phrase that traces back to a 1965 book, The Happy Isles: A Diary of the Solomons, by former British district officer and wartime coastwatcher Dick C. Horton. The local tourism industry adopted the title as a slogan in its early years, and it has since become part of everyday language in the country.

A brand unveiled in Honiara

The new identity was unveiled by Anthony Langston, chairman of the Tourism Solomons Board, at a farewell reception for the South Pacific Tourism Organisation Board of Directors and Council of Tourism Ministers meeting at the Heritage Park Hotel in Honiara on 22 October. A statement from the Ministry of Culture and Tourism on 29 October confirmed the launch.

Prime Minister Matthew Wale has championed the return of the identity, telling Pacific tourism ministers in Honiara that the country wants visitors to stay longer and spend locally, so that tourism revenue remains within the country. He said Solomon Islands would soft-launch the brand at the close of the ministers’ meeting and asked regional partners to help carry it to the world.

Tourism Solomons chief executive Andrew Nihopara said the campaign aims to show travellers what makes the destination different from anywhere else on the planet. “For the first time, we have been able to distil the very essence of our Hapi Isles into a brand promise that captures exactly what today’s experience-seeking traveller is searching for,” he said.

Real, rare and raw

The three words at the heart of the brand are meant to sum up the visitor experience. According to Tourism Solomons, they point to world-class diving, thriving coral reefs, waters full of marine life, uncrowded surf breaks and trekking through ancient rainforests, all set within a living culture expressed through hundreds of languages across a 992-island archipelago.

“For too long, Solomon Islands has been viewed through a generic South Pacific lens, one that fails to capture its true character,” Mr Nihopara said. He added that the country’s greatest tourism assets were never created for visitors, but exist because they have always been part of everyday life, culture, communities and the natural environment.

The refresh also brings a new logo. It features a ring of nine shapes, each reading as both an island and a shell, representing the country’s nine provinces and referring to shell money, which remains a living part of cultural exchange across the islands. The colours draw on the national flag: the blue of the water, the yellow of the sun and the green of the islands’ vegetation.

The new design replaces the dugout canoe logo and “Solomons Is.” theming introduced in 2018, when the national tourism office changed from the Solomon Islands Visitors Bureau to Tourism Solomons. The creative work was done by Melbourne-based Grin Creative, appointed after a brand review and market positioning exercise that included stakeholder consultation, consumer research and destination analysis.

Visitors returning after the pandemic

Tourism Solomons says visitor numbers are steadily returning towards pre-pandemic levels, and that government support for the sector has never been stronger. The organisation argues that travellers are increasingly looking for meaningful connections and authentic experiences rather than convenience and commercialisation, and that Solomon Islands is well placed to meet that demand.

The new platform will be rolled out slowly over the coming months, with a new logo and marketing materials replacing the old branding. For the government, the test will be whether a sharper identity can turn interest in the country’s reefs, forests and cultures into longer stays and more spending in local communities.

Sources: Pacific Asia Travel Association and The Island Sun.