Pacific Tourism Organisation Strengthens Development Partnerships to Advance Resilient Pacific Communities

The Pacific Tourism Organisation (SPTO) today convened development partners, governments, regional agencies, research institutions and private sector stakeholders at the SPTO Development Partners Dialogue 2026, reinforcing a shared commitment to strengthen partnerships that deliver sustainable development outcomes through tourism.

Held under the theme Partnering for Resilient Pacific Communities: Building Livelihoods, Wellbeing and Prosperity through Tourism,” the Dialogue serves as a strategic platform for aligning development partner priorities, technical expertise and investment with the Pacific’s long-term vision for a more resilient, inclusive and sustainable tourism sector.

Opening the Dialogue, SPTO Board of Directors Chairperson Adela Issachar Aru, said the future success of Pacific tourism would depend on the region’s ability to forge stronger, more coordinated partnerships across sectors and institutions. “The challenges facing the Pacific are too complex for any one organisation, sector or development partner to address alone. This Dialogue reflects our belief that lasting impact comes through partnership. By bringing together governments, development agencies, regional organisations, academia and the private sector, we can better align our efforts and create solutions that deliver meaningful outcomes for Pacific communities,” She said.

Ms Issachar Aru acknowledged the longstanding contribution of development partners to tourism development across the region and called for a new phase of collaboration centred on shared priorities and collective impact. “Our development partners have been instrumental in supporting tourism’s growth across the Pacific. Today, we are looking beyond individual projects towards deeper strategic partnerships that combine investment, technical expertise, knowledge and innovation. Together, we have an opportunity to build a tourism sector that not only drives economic growth, but strengthens resilience, empowers communities and supports the wider aspirations of the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent.”

The Dialogue highlights how tourism can contribute directly to multiple development priorities, including livelihoods and local enterprise, climate resilience, nature-based solutions, women’s economic empowerment, food systems, cultural heritage preservation and circular economy initiatives. These outcomes closely align with the mandates and investment priorities of many development partners operating in the Pacific.

A central focus of discussions is identifying opportunities for more coordinated financing, technical assistance and programme delivery across SPTO’s six priority areas of Sustainable Destination

Management: governance and planning, research and market intelligence, market access and destination marketing, capacity development, resilience and sustainable finance, and connectivity.

The Dialogue also showcases existing partnerships that are already delivering impact across the region, while creating space to identify new collaboration opportunities capable of advancing shared development goals. Discussions also contributed to the establishment of an ongoing platform for engagement between SPTO and development partners, strengthening coordination, knowledge exchange, resource mobilisation and joint action across the Pacific tourism sector.

“The Pacific’s greatest strength has always been partnership. Today’s Dialogue is about moving from conversations to coordinated action. It is about building the alliances, trust and shared commitment needed to unlock greater investment, stronger institutions and more resilient communities across our Blue Pacific region, ‘Ms Issachar Aru said.

A key highlight of the Dialogue included the launch of the Pacific Gender and Inclusive Tourism Action Plan with the Pacific Private Sector Development Initiative (PSDI) and the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between SPTO and Pacific Trade and Invest (PTI) Australia, demonstrating SPTO’s commitment to translating partnerships into practical action and long-term development impact.