Update from the Division – November 2022

Season’s Greetings from SPTO’s Division of Sustainable Tourism!

As the year draws to an end, we would like to take this opportunity to sincerely thank our Members for your continued support to our Division’s work throughout this year.  Your leadership and guidance have pushed us to new limits as we continue to support the recovery of the tourism sector and navigate our way out of the COVID-19 pandemic.  None of these achievements of course, would have been possible if it was not for SPTO’s partners including our sister CROP Agencies, the United Nations family, Development Partners, Donors, Academic Institutions, Private Sector Associations, Communities and Civil Society Organisations who have contributed to many sustainable tourism projects for the region.  Thank you for your contribution to our collective efforts towards ensuring a green and sustainable tourism recovery for the Pacific.  What a year it has been!

In this last issue of the Pacific Sustainable Tourism Newsbeat for 2022, we wish to highlight key achievements including the inaugural Pacific Sustainable Tourism Leadership Summit held in the Cook Islands, the global recognition received by Samoa, Tuvalu and Vanuatu as Pacific recipients of the International Union of Geological Science (IUGS) top 100 Geological Heritage Sites in the world and more.  As a member of the Global Sustainable Tourism Council, we have been fortunate to extend support to the region through support for more Pacific tourism experts to participate in the GSTC Sustainable Tourism Trainings. Other notable partnerships this year include the assistance for tourism SMEs through recovery trainings supported by the Pacific Island Forum Secretariat, strengthening policy support for Small Island States and advancing internal action in walking the talk when it comes to sustainable practices.  New initiatives including the development of the Pacific Sustainable Tourism Standard and the continuation of plastic pollution action through plastics repurposing benefitted more of our Members this year.

Let us congratulate Fiji for becoming the latest country to sign the Pacific Sustainable Tourism Statement of Commitment.  Congratulations Fiji!

In this issue, we are putting the spotlight on the Samoa Tourism Authority and the New Zealand Maori Tourism, an exciting avenue for strengthening people to people relations in Polynesia.  The Resource of the Month is a report by Systemiq and Sustainable Tourism Global Centre on how travel and tourism can accelerate transition to a net-zero, nature and community-positive future. We conclude this issue with some interesting upcoming events as well as tips and facts on travelling sustainably.

In closing, we thank you all once again for being part of our journey this as we work together in realizing our regional vision that by 2030, the Pacific Islands will benefit from tourism that is resilient, prosperous and inclusive.  It improves the wellbeing of our communities, protects, restores and promotes our cultures, islands and ocean ecosystems.

From SPTO’s Division of Sustainable Tourism, we wish you all a merry Christmas and a Prosperous 2023!