Pacific Tourism CEO Urges Paradigm Shift toward Sustainability at GSTC2025 Fiji

Pacific Tourism Organisation (SPTO) Chief Executive Officer, Christopher Cocker, has called for renewed regional and global commitment to advancing sustainable tourism in the Pacific through the Pacific Sustainable Tourism Policy Framework (PSTPF).

Speaking at the Global Sustainable Tourism Conference (GSTC2025), held from August 5–8 at the Sheraton Fiji Golf & Beach Resort, Mr Cocker joined a high-level panel on “Destination Roadmaps and Sustainability Plans,” where he outlined both the progress of the PSTPF and persistent challenges facing Pacific tourism.

“The Pacific is at a crossroads,” said Mr Cocker. “We need a paradigm shift—one that takes us back to our Pacific values, because sustainability is at the heart of our self-belief. Tourism must be a vehicle for social, cultural, and economic good, but it must also avoid negative environmental and social impacts. Our role is to be agents of change.”

The PSTPF serves as a regional blueprint for sustainable tourism development, promoting cross-sector partnerships, regional collaboration, and holistic responses to shared challenges such as climate change, limited investment, data gaps, and competing donor priorities.

While acknowledging ongoing hurdles—including underinvestment in tourism, limited resources for implementation, and varying capacities across destinations—Mr. Cocker emphasized the region’s growing momentum.

“There is strong political will across the Pacific,” he noted. “The PSTPF has earned global recognition, including the 2023 Commonwealth Secretary-General’s Award for Partnerships in Promoting Sustainable Development. This affirms the Pacific’s leadership in advancing sustainable tourism.”

GSTC2025 brought together global leaders, practitioners, and sustainability advocates to collaborate and share knowledge under three core themes: Coastal and Island Tourism, focusing on the unique opportunities and challenges faced by island destinations; Community, Culture, and Responsible Development, highlighting the importance of inclusive growth rooted in local values and traditions; and Climate Resilience, Adaptation, and Sustainable Recovery, addressing the urgent need for tourism to contribute to climate action and long-term sustainability.

SPTO’s strategic engagement at the conference centered on strengthening regional leadership by positioning the organisation as a champion of sustainable tourism, contributing Pacific expertise to global dialogue on balancing environment, culture, and economy, building strategic partnerships to unlock funding and technical support for member countries, and promoting Pacific destinations as sustainability leaders aligned with GSTC global standards.

“Our collective journey shows that sustainability is not just an option—it is the only way forward,” Mr Cocker concluded. “If we are to secure the future of our islands, our people, and our cultures, then tourism must be seen not only as an economic driver, but as a safeguard for generations to come.”