Honiara national traits of Solomon Islands society." Honiara is Solomon Islands' springboard for tourism activities. The country's tourist office, Solomon Islands Visitors Bureau, is on Honiara's main thoroughfare, Mendana Avenue. Situated between the Yacht Club and the popular Solomon Kitano Mendana Hotel, its officers provide tourist information and can radio ahead to announce visitors' arrivals to guest houses in the remoter areas. Honiara contains several banks including the Westpac Bank, the ANZ Bank, and the National Bank. Anchorage facilities are available in Honiara Port for both national and international ships. The violence which had plagued Honiara and the islands since the
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Honiara erected the Province of Honiara in 1978, made a pastoral visit to the Archdiocese on 9 May 1984. The territory of the Archdiocese has been largely left unchanged since the erection of the Diocese of Auki in 1982. It includes the five Provinces of Guadalcanal, Makira-Ulawa, Temotu, Central Islands, Rennell and Belona, and the area governed by the Honiara Town Council. The Archdiocese is responsible for some 60,312 Catholics, who represent just over 22% of the local population. 48 diocesan and religious priests with 100 religious in the 11 religious congregations present serve in 13 parishes and other apostolates. The