Regional Sustainable Tourism Enhancement in the Pacific Workshop Gathers Pacific Stakeholders to Advance Sustainable Tourism and Circular Economy Integration across Pacific Island Countries

A high-level Regional Validation Workshop was held from 23 to 24 April 2025 at the Holiday Inn in Suva, bringing together key tourism stakeholders from across the Pacific to validate regional and national recommendations aimed at transforming tourism through Sustainable Consumption and Production (SCP) and Circular Economy (CE) approaches.

Organised by the Pacific Tourism Organisation (SPTO) in partnership with the European Union funded SWITCH-Asia Policy Support Component (PSC) through the Sustainable Tourism Enhancement in the Pacific (STEP) project, the event fostered inclusive dialogue, strengthened regional policy ambitions, and encouraged practical actions to build more circular and resilient tourism systems across Pacific Island Countries.

Recognising SCP and CE as powerful strategies to not only reduce tourism’s environmental impact but also address the broader triple planetary crisis of climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution, the workshop provided a vital platform for integrating these approaches into national tourism policies, standards, and business practices. This is closely aligned with the Pacific Sustainable Tourism Standard (PSTS).

The event brought together representatives from Locally-managed Marine Area (LMMA) Network, National Tourism Organisations (NTOs), Tourism Industry Associations, non-governmental organisations such as Kiribati Association of Non-Governmental Organisations (KANGO), EU Delegation to the Pacific, national and regional organisations such as Pacific Community (SPC), Pacific Regional Infrastructure Facility (PRIF) Coordination Office, Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP), New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (NZ MFAT) Samoa, and international development partners including International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UN ESCAP) Pacific Office, International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), European Investment Bank (EIB),

Pedro Velazquez, Acting Head of Cooperation for the EU Delegation, emphasised the European Union’s commitment: “Sustainability and resilience are at the heart of the EU’s engagement in the Pacific. We are not distant observers but committed partners, learning and working alongside you to shape a tourism sector that is future-ready, inclusive, and environmentally responsible.”

SPTO CEO Christopher Cocker highlighted tourism’s role in the region’s future: “Tourism holds immense potential as an economic driver and a key enabler of the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals. Strengthening our partnerships is critical to advancing the Blue Pacific 2050 Strategy and SPTO’s 2025–2029 Strategic Plan, ensuring we meet the evolving priorities of our member countries. Together, through shared perspectives and collaboration, we can build a sustainable future for Pacific tourism.”

Zinaida Fadeeva, Team Leader for SWITCH-Asia PSC, added: “Across the region, sustainable practices – from green buildings to agritourism, destination management to waste reduction – are already taking root. What we seek to explore now is how these efforts can be scaled up and embedded into broader policy and planning frameworks.”

The outcomes of the workshop will inform the finalisation of a Regional Roadmap, consolidating findings from a regional scoping assessment, national consultations, and stakeholder-led initiatives. This Roadmap will guide the mainstreaming of circular economy principles into tourism policies and value chains across the Pacific.