Pacific Tourism well represented at key regional meetings

Engaging, advocating and networking with key partners for joint collaboration, will be the key areas of focus for the Pacific Tourism Organisation (SPTO) during its participation in the 51^st Pacific Islands Forum Leaders’ meeting held in Suva this week.

From Monday 11^th July SPTO will attend a series of meetings and events including:

• Smaller Island States Officials Meeting
• Pacific Group of the African Caribbean Pacific Leaders’ Meeting
• Blue Pacific Leaders Ocean Panel
• Council of Regional Organisations in the Pacific (CROP) & United Nations Dinner
• Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Dialogue with Associate Members & Forum Observers
• FFA Announcement by Fiji and the US on the US Tuna Treaty Agreement
• Leaders Talanoa Series: Sustainable development through people- centered approaches
• Launch of the Pacific Child Website and PRC4ECD Commitment to Climate Change
• PIF Dialogue Panel – Non State Actors
• PIF Dialogue Panel – CROP Heads
• Pacific Talanoa to 2050: Leadership and Regionalism
• Our One Blue Future event (on-board the Statsraad Lehmkuhl)

SPTO acknowledges the opportunity to participate in these meetings against the backdrop of post- pandemic recovery and sustainable tourism re-activation.

“Pacific Tourism has been hard hit by the pandemic and we recognize that the road to recovery will take time and require a lot of resources and support. With this in mind, it has been a privilege to participate physically in the 51^st Pacific Islands Forum Leaders’ meetings, to reacquaint with key partners and network in the interest of tourism recovery”, said SPTO CEO Christopher Cocker. 

The week- long meetings will culminate on Thursday 14^th July with the launch of the 2050 Blue Pacific Strategy. SPTO’s Strategic Plan aligns to the Leaders vision for 2050, through the following key strategies and frameworks:

• Pacific Sustainable Tourism Policy Framework
• Pacific Tourism Statistics Strategy
• SPTO Digital Strategy Framework

On the sidelines of the Leaders’ meetings Mr. Cocker has met with the Honourable Fekitamoeloa Utoikamani (Minister for Foreign Affairs and Minister for Tourism of Tonga) and Mr. Andrew Valentine (General Manager, Pacific Aviation Safety Office). Later in the week he will also meet with Honourable Mickael Forrest (Minister of International Tourism Development of New Caledonia) and Dr. Mary Hattori (Interim Director, Pacific Islands Development Program).