Wilson Cecil Maelaua has over 40 years of experience in the tourism industry in the Solomon Islands. He has held several senior leadership positions including Managing Director of Destination Solomons Holdings Limited and General Manager of the Solomon Islands Tourist Authority. He has a background in tourism operations, marketing, and business management. Maelaua has also served on numerous boards and committees related to tourism development, sports, and local governance in the Solomon Islands.

1. CURRICULUM VITAE
Name: Wilson Cecil Maelaua, MBE
Date of Birth: 29th
October 1955
Home Province: Malaita Province
Current Residence: Mbokonavera 2
Central Honiara Constituency
Honiara City
Religion: Anglican Church
Martial Status: Married
CURRENT POSITION:
Managing Director
Destination Solomons Holdings Limited
Trading as DESTSOLO Travel & Tours
P O Box 1350
Honiara
SOLOMON ISLANDS
ACADEMIC BACKGROUND:
1973 - Completed Form Four (4) at King George VI National Secondary
School at Panatina attaining University of Cambridge
School Certificate incorporating a General Certificate of Education
1974 - University of the South Pacific, Suva, Fiji - Certificate of
Attainment (Preliminary I)
Class of Certificate II
1975 - University of the South Pacific, Suva, Fiji - Certificate of
Attainment (Preliminary II)
Class of Certificate III
1976 - Fiji School of Medicine
Diploma Programme (only completed one year of three years
Diploma Programme at FSM Tamavua)

2. EMPLOYMENT BACKGROUND
1977 – 1978 - Tour Consultant/Tour Guide, Asian Pacific Travel Pty Ltd
(Australian Inbound Tour Operator based in Honiara
1979 – 1980 - Reservation Clerk
Solair, Honiara
1980 – 1985 - Sales Representative for Solair in Australia based in Brisbane,
Queensland
- Airport Representative for Solair at Eagle Farm Airport, Brisbane,
attending to all Solair International flights between Honiara and
Brisbane.
1983 – 1985 - Held the position of Manager Queensland for Solair
1986 - Commercial Manager/Sales and Interline
Manager Solair Head Office, Honiara
1987 – 2001 - General Manager/Secretary to the Board of Solomon Islands
Tourist Authority/Solomon Islands Visitors Bureau.
BUSINESS BACKGROUND AND EXPERIENCE
2001 – 2005 - Managing Director and Shareholder of Tourism Solomons
Limited, a private company incorporated in May 2001 to promote
tourism and related activities.
2005/2006 - Manager Destination Solomons Travel & Tours registered
09/09/05 as a business name.
2006 - Managing Director and Shareholder Destination Solomons Travel
& Tours Limited which was incorporated 25/08/06.
2007 - 2014 - Managing Director and Shareholder Destination Solomons Travel
& Tours Limited, Trading as DESTSOLO Travel & Tours as of
13/12/06. Company name changed to Destination Solomons
Holdings Limited still trading as DESTSOLO Travel & Tours.
2009 – 2014 - Principal GOSOLO Trading & Marketing Holdings

3. COURSES AND STUDY TOURS ATTENDED:
1982 & 1984 - Australia Travel Industry Travel Diploma organized by
Qantas:
• Fares and Ticketing I (1982)
• Fares and Ticketing II (1984)
1984 - Qantas Airways Certificate in Marketing Training – Qantas
Computer System (QANTAM) Travel Agent Course
(1984)
1987 - Tourism Study Tour of Barbados, Cayman Islands and
Bahamas in the Caribbean sponsored by UNDP/WTO –
1987 (2 weeks)
1987 - Public Enterprise Management Course organized by the
University of the South Pacific Institute of Social and
Administration Studies – September 14th
to 25th
1987, Port
Vila, Vanuatu (2 weeks).
1989 - Financial Planning for Small Business, March 1989 in
Honiara (2 weeks)
1989 - Executive Development Institute for Tourism (EDIT)
Program at the University of Hawaii School of Travel
Industry 1989 (6 weeks)
1994 - Gaming & Lotteries Board Study Tour to Australia, 1994
(9 days)
1994 - Attended program in Company Directors organized by
AESOP – Nadi, Fiji, January 31st
to February 2nd
1994
1994 - Olympic Solidarity FIFA/OFC Coaching course in
Canberra (1994, 5 days)
1999 - Attended Management by Objective Course organized by
Human Resources Training and Development Centre in
Honiara (24th
August to 26th
August 1999).
1999 - Attended Introduction to Basic Computing with Windows
98 (September 20th
to October 19th
1999) organized by
Systek Business Computing Services in Honiara.
2000 - Attended the Diocese of Central Melanesia, Church of
Melanesia Course in HOMILETICS (4th
to 29th
September
2000).

4. 2002 - Attended the Olympic Solidarity Technical Course in Sport
Planning and Administration held from 22nd
October to 25th
October 2002 in Honiara.

5. TRAVEL SHOWS/SYMPOSIUMS/CONFERENCES/SEMINARS/WORKSHOPS
ATTENDED:
1. Responsible for the coordination and participation of Solomon Islands
Industry at Overseas Tourism Travel and Trade Shows.
(i) International Tourism Show (ITB) Berlin, Germany
(ii) International Tourism Exposition (ITIX) Chicago, USA
(iii) World Travel Market Travel Show – London, UK
(iv) Holiday Travel Show – Sydney, Australia
(v) 1988 World Exposition in Brisbane, Australia
(vi) Auckland Travel Show – New Zealand
(vii) Buyer/Seller Tourism Workshop organized by Pacific Asia Travel
Association (PATA) in Australia.
2. Asia Productivity Symposium on Productivity Promotion for South Pacific
countries: Tourism Development and Promotion – 23/2/88 to 26/2/88,
Pohnpei Federated States of Micronesia.
3. Participated at the Regional Conferences on Tourism and National
Development Planning in the South Pacific, Suva, Fiji – 14th
to 15th
November
1991 organized by Tourism Council of the South Pacific.
4. Attended the following Annual Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA)
Conferences:
(a) PATA Annual Conference in Hawaii – 1993
(b) PATA Annual Conference in Seoul, Korea – 1994
(c) PATA Annual Conference in Auckland, New Zealand – 1995
5. Attended the Fiji Annual Tourism Convention in Nadi, Fiji – 1992
6. Attended the 1994 Eco-Tourism Conference in Hobart, Australia
7. Participated at the Regional Marketing Workshop in Nuku’alofa, Tonga 20th
to 24th
May 1996 organized by Tourism Council of the South Pacific.
8. Attended the Tourism Outlook Conference in Sydney, Australia organized by
Australia Tourism Research Institute – 13th
to 14th
September 1999.
9. Participated as guest speaker on topic – Tourism Industry Development and
Marketing in the National Seminar on Small Business Development in
Solomon Islands – Honiara 29th
September to 01st
October 1999, organized by
Department of Indigenous Business Development, Ministry of Commerce,
Employment and Tourism.

6. 10. Attended the 2nd
TCSP Annual Conference in Apia, Samoa – 19th
to 21st
October 1999.
11. Participated in a one day work shop on Budgeting for Managers organized by
Human Resource Training and Development Centre, 11th
February 2000,
Honiara, Solomon Islands.
12. Attended the Public/Private Sector Partnership in Tourism Development
Seminar in Bangkok, Thailand – 20th
to 22nd
March 2000, organized by United
Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP),
the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) and the World Tourism
Organization (WTO).
13. Attended the 1 day Tourism Marketing and E-Commerce Workshop, Quality
Inn, Honiara, 24th
April 2008, presented by CEO South Pacific Travel Mr.
Tony Everett.
14. Tourism presentation at the Prime Minister’s Roundtable Dialogue on
Development, Society and Environment held from 04/03/13 to 06/03/13 at
Commonwealth Secretariat Conference Room.
15. Attended the 1 day 2014 Our Telekom National Tourism Forum organized by
Ministry of Culture & Tourism and Solomon Islands Visitors Bureau. Date –
29/08/14 and Venue – Heritage Park Hotel
16. Presentation on Cultural Tourism itineraries and products at the National
Development Workshop for the Cultural Industries in Solomon Islands. Date
– 29/09/14 to 02/10/14 and Venue – Heritage Park Hotel.
OTHER RESPONSIBILITIES:
1985 - Member of the Airline Operators Committee (FAL) Eagle Farm
International Airport, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
1987 – 1988 - Executive Member of Solomon Islands Chamber of Commerce
1987 – 1989 - Member of the Board and Management of Tourism Council of the
South Pacific – held the position of Vice Chairman
1987 – 1995 - Director of Solair Limited Board
1989 - Director of Mendana Hotel Limited Board

7. 1988 - Chairman Solomon Islands Government World Expo’88
Organizing Committee
- Deputy Commission for Solomon Islands Pavilion, World
Expo’88, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
1988 – 1995 - Member of the Government Appointed Gaming and Lotteries
Board
1989 – 1992 - President of Honiara Football Association (HFA)
1990 – 1992 - Member of St. Barnabas Cathedral Parish Council
1990 – 2000 - Member of Airport Facilitation Committee – Henderson Airport
1991 – 1992 - Non-Executive Director and Secretary of Family Favourites Mini-
Market Limited operating Family Favourites Kitchen
1991 – 1993 - Member of Solomon Islands Ports Authority Board
1992 - Member of Solomon Islands Government Expo’92 Organizing
Committee
1993 to 2011 - License to assist with the distribution of the Chalice during Holy
Communion at St. Barnabas Cathedral
1994 - Appointed to be a member of the 1999 South Pacific Games Bid
Committee for Solomon Islands
1995 – 2000 - Member of Air Transport Licensing Authority Board (ATLA
Board)
1996 – 1997 - Chairman of Technical Committee Organizing the Brisbane to
Solomon Islands Yacht Race in 1996 and 1997
1996 – 2000 - Member of Solomon Islands World War II Historic Sites
Committee
1996 – 2000 - Executive Director of Battle of Guadalcanal and Solomon Islands
Foundation (Office in North America)
1997 - Chairman of Program Subcommittee for 1st
TCSP Regional
Tourism Conference in 1997 in Tahiti
1997 - Chairman Organizing Committee National Tourism Conference
held in Honiara May 1997

8. 1997 – 1998 - Member of First Melanesian Arts and Cultural Festival Organizing
Committee
- Chairman of Accommodation and Catering Subcommittee of the
Arts & Cultural Festival Committee
1998 - Appointed to Honiara Appointed Town Council
1998 - Appointed as Chairman of Youth, Women and Sport, Standing
Committee of the Honiara Appointment Town Council
1999 - Chairman of Honiara Quality Environment Committee of Honiara
Appointed Town Council
1998 - Member of Review Committee Foreign Investment Board 1998
1998 – 2000 - Chairman of Miss Solomon Islands Pageant Organizing
Committee
1998 - Member of the Solomon Islands National Sports Council Board
1999/2000 - Member of the Australian Tourism Research Institute
2000 - Vice Chairman of Solomon Islands National Sports Council Board
2000 - Deputy Chairman, 2000 Solomon Islands Government
International Exposition Organizing Committee
2002 - President of Honiara Tourism Association
2002/2003 - Member of the Tourism Action Group established by the National
Tourism Conference held in Honiara in 2002
2003 – 2005 - Chairman of Solomon Islands National Sports Council Board
2003 - Vice President, National Executive Council – Socred Party
2004 - Chairman of 2011 South Pacific Games Bid Document Committee
2004/2005 - Member of the National Art Gallery Committee established by the
Department of Culture & Tourism to plan for the development of
the new National Art Gallery in Honiara
2005 - Vice Chairman of the National Parliamentary Standing Committee
for the Sale of the National Art Gallery

9. 2005 - Executive Vice President, National Executive Council, Socred
Party
2006 - Principal – GOSOLO Trading & Marketing Holdings
2007 - Partner, Fera’abunaoe Copra Marketing Agency
2007 - Secretary to Kwaena’abu Tribal Trust Board
2008 - Secretary to Fera’abunaoe Land Trust Board (NATI/Fote
Experimental Station)
2008 - 2010 - Vice Chairman of Solomon Islands Visitor Bureau Board
(15/01/08)
2008 - 2009 - Member of the Air Transport Licensing Authority Board (ATLA)
as of 06/02/08
2008 - 2010 - Councilor/Secretary St. Barnabas Cathedral Parish Council as of
April 2008 to July 2010
2008 - President of Solomon Islands Tourism Industry Association
(SITIA) – elected at the SITIA AGM 21/10/08)
2009/2010 - Chairman of West Kwara’ae Constituency Support Group for Sam
Alasia’s Candidacy National General Election 4th
August 2010
2010 - Member of Tourism Task Force appointed by Minister of Culture
& Tourism on 12/04/10
2010 - Secretary, Oterade Land Trust Board
2011 - Member of the Solomon Island Tourism Task Force Action Plan
2011 – 2015 Monitoring, Implementation and Evaluation
Committee endorsed by Cabinet.
2011 - Interim Patron – Kakamora Football Club

10. SPECIAL ACHIEVEMENTS IN SPORTS DEVELOPMENT:
1974 – 1976 - Member of the Suva representative soccer squad
1975 & 1979 - Played for the Senior Solomon Islands National Soccer Team that
won Bronze medals at the 1975 & 1979 South Pacific Games in
Guam and Fiji.
1975 - Played for Fiji National Soccer Team again NZ All Whites in
Suva, Fiji
1980 – 1984 - First Solomon Islander to play semi-professional soccer in
Australia with Grange Thistle Football Soccer Youth Club inc.
1980 - Member of Queensland representative soccer squad playing
against AC Milan in Brisbane 06/05/1980.
1980 - Queensland side to play Victoria side at Perry Park 29/05/1980.
1994 - Head coach of National Senior Soccer Team that won the 1994
Melanesian Cup Tournament held in Honiara.
1996 - Awarded the Most Distinguished Member of the British Empire
for the Long and Dedicated involvement in the Development of
Sports, mainly the Code of Soccer.
Note: This CV is updated as of 24th
November 2014