Pacific Tourism Waste Action Initiatives (PTWAI)Pacific Tourism Waste Action Initiatives (PTWAI)Pacific Tourism Waste Action Initiatives (PTWAI)Pacific Tourism Waste Action Initiatives (PTWAI)
  • Who We Are
    • About Us
    • Organisational Structure
    • Board Directors and Members
    • Procurement
    • Vacancies
    • Contact Us
  • What We Do
    • Our Work
    • Work with Us
  • Membership
    • Member Benefits
    • Member Listing
    • Become A Member
    • Membership Terms & Conditions
  • Sustainability
    • Overview
    • Framework
    • Initiatives
    • Publications
  • Marketing
    • Overview
    • Initiatives
      • Digital Benchmarking Programme
      • Digital Stack Programme
      • Pacific Storytelling Specialist  Programme
      • SPTOJobslink
      • SPTO Content Strategy
      • SPTO Digital Skills and E-Learning Project
      • Industry Membership Programme
      • South Pacific Tourism Exchange
    • Resources
      • Gallery
      • Newsletter Archives
      • Promotional Brochures
      • Publication
    • Pacific Storytelling Specialist Programme
    • South Pacific Tourism Exchange
  • Research
    • Overview
    • Publication
    • SPTO Knowledge Hub
  • Blog
    • SPTO News
    • Sustainable News
    • Industry News
✕
            No results See all results
            • Home
            • Pacific Tourism Waste Action Initiatives (PTWAI)

            Pacific Tourism Waste Action Initiatives (PTWAI)

            August 29, 2022

            OVERVIEW

            Oceans cover three quarters of the Earth’s surface (75%), contains 97 per cent of the Earth’s water, and represents 99 percent of the living space on the planet by volume. And with over three billion people dependent on marine and coastal biodiversity for their livelihoods including the Pacific Region where majority of the population live in coastal areas, the need to sustainably manage and conserve our oceans and marine resources is now more crucial and urgent than ever. Anthropogenic factors negatively impacting our oceans resources include overfishing, ocean acidification, and marine pollution.

            Tourism in the Pacific depends on a healthy ocean and ocean ecosystem and as such, the Pacific Sustainable Tourism Policy Framework 2030 acknowledges the tourism sector’s commitment to Goal 4 on “Healthy Islands and Oceans” where ‘Tourism accelerates climate action, protects our ecosystems and supports resilience’.  Within this context, the Pacific Tourism Waste Action Initiative (PTWAI) acts as the platform for the tourism sector’s waste action initiatives.  With the long term goal of showcasing and supporting all types of waste management interventions, the PTWAI has prioritized plastic waste response while seeking out partnerships and resources to expand to other areas.

            Fiji Video
            Kiribati Video
            Marshall Islands Video
            Federated States of Micronesia Video

            PLASTIC REPURPOSING

            The Pacific Tourism Waste Action Initiative (PTWAI) is an SPTO led programme focused on addressing key waste management challenges in Pacific communities through tourism. The initiative explores innovative and inclusive approaches from the tourism sector as its contribution to reducing the waste footprint of tourism on the environment and protection of our lands and oceans from waste pollution for the benefit of our people, visitors and generations to come.

            As part of the PTWAI, SPTO has launched its Plastic Repurposing Workshop which, harnesses the creative talents of our Pacific communities and marrying these to contemporary waste materials generated from the tourism industry, such as PET plastic bottles.  The initiative capitalizes on repurposing all or parts of PET plastic bottles for the creation of jewellery (earrings, necklaces, pendants, bracelets) wind chimes and other decorative items that can be re-sold to hotels, visitors, locals, restaurants, cafes and tourism business thereby encouraging a circular approach.

            The Plastics Repurposing Training Workshop is a joint collaboration with renowned Fijian Artist Warwick Marlow which was launched in Fiji as part of the My Fiji Shark Project supported by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in 2019.

            With the support of the Pacific Island Forum Secretariat the programme has been replicated in Tuvalu and since November 2020, has been delivered through a hybrid approach online and face to face at country level in Kiribati, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia and Nauru.

            Beneficiaries of the project have included local communities in each island nation with groups consisting of women, men, youth, the elderly, people with disabilities, members from the LGBTQI community and from tourism reliant communities. Trainings have also included those in the community working in tourism who have lost their jobs due to the impact of COVID19. Through the project, tools are provided for participants and National Tourism Offices are leading the coordination work in-country.

            The PTWAI programme incorporates both traditional and scientific knowledge to contribute to marine conservation whilst simultaneously creating sustainable livelihoods for tourism reliant communities. As part of PTWAI, the Tourism Authority of Kiribati claimed Best Strategy for Creative Tourism Development award from the Creative Tourism Network.

            Share
            1
            wmsp
            wmsp
            Get in touch with us

            Discover

            • American Samoa
            • Cook Islands
            • Federated States of Micronesia
            • Fiji
            • Kiribati
            • Marshall Islands
            • Nauru
            • New Caledonia
            • Niue
            • Papua New Guinea
            • Rapa Nui
            • Samoa
            • Solomon Islands
            • The Islands of Tahiti
            • Timor Leste
            • Tokelau
            • Tonga
            • Tuvalu
            • Vanuatu
            • Wallis and Futuna

            Level 3, FNPF Place,
            Victoria Parade,
            Private Mail Bag,
            Suva, Fiji Islands.

            Tel : (679) 330 4177
            Fax (679) 330 1995
            Email : tourism@spto.org

            Disclaimer | Terms & Conditions | Copyright

            Stay Connected

            Sign up for regular updates from the Pacific Tourism Organisation.

            If you’re interested in becoming a member, we’d love to share more information about the benefits and opportunities of membership with you

            Pacific Tourism Organisation © 2022 All Rights Reserved
                      No results See all results