In July 2026, two researchers from the South Pacific Pocket Guide arrived in Majuro, spent ten days on the ground, visited 11 hotels and more than forty establishments, and then released a resource with 136 articles. The official launch took place in August, and this is not just another travel website.
The Republic of the Marshall Islands has long been considered a place where "there is nothing to do." Even locals sometimes repeated this phrase. Now, the new guide features an article "101 Things to Do in the Marshall Islands." Among them are traditional canoe building, pandanus weaving, sailing on real canoes, and tasting local dishes found nowhere else in the Pacific.
The project was born from a partnership between the Office of Commerce, Investment, and Tourism (OCIT) and the Australian P4A program, with support from the U.S. EDA. Over ten days of fieldwork, the team gathered information on transportation, dining, crafts, and services on the outer atolls. A return visit is planned for November to cover more remote islands.
The number 136 is not just a volume. It is an attempt to give a remote country a digital face that was previously absent. Tourists planning a trip can now find verified information on one resource, and local operators can gain visibility without intermediaries. According to Loretta Laurie deBrum of OCIT, this is an investment in people and the long-term growth of the industry.
The approach's hallmark is an emphasis on authenticity. The researchers noted that the Marshall Islands "underestimate themselves." The guide captures precisely those practices that distinguish the archipelago: unique weaving techniques, canoe building, and pandanus-based cuisine. The team's social media posts during the visit garnered nearly a million views, showing that interest in such details exists.
In a broader context, this is a step by a small island nation toward sustainable tourism. The digital tool helps distribute visitor flow, support local businesses, and preserve cultural practices that are easily lost with mass development. The platform will be updated regularly, and in the future, operators will be able to get websites for online booking for free.
The new guide is not an advertisement but a tool that allows the Marshall Islands to tell their own story before others start telling it.
