Regional Tourism Organisations Partner to Strengthen Tourism in Small Island Developing States

Pacific Tourism Organisation (SPTO) CEO, Mr Christopher Cocker, has formally announced a partnership between various tourism organisations representing Small Island Developing States (SIDS).

In announcing the partnership at the SIDS Global Business Network Forum in Palau, on Tuesday 12^th April, Mr Cocker noted the importance of collaborative and durable partnerships to the SIDS grouping.

“As we have learned today, the SIDS tourism sector faces a number of unique challenges that must be addressed through strengthened sustainable tourism initiatives, achieved through innovative regional and global partnerships”, he said.

It is envisaged that the SIDS Tourism Working Group will:

• Create a system for support, knowledge-sharing, and cooperation among SIDS tourism organizations and stakeholders, as well as;
• Jointly address the unique challenges that the SIDS tourism sector faces

The Working Group is part of the SIDS Global Business Network, under the United Nations SIDS Partnerships Steering Committee. SPTO was honoured to represent the SIDS Tourism Working Group in announcing the partnership at the Forum in Palau. The working group comprises of:

• African Tourism Council (ATC)
• Association of Southeast Asian Nations Tourism Association (ASEANTA)
• Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO)
• Indian Ocean Tourism Organization (IOTO)
• Pacific Tourism Organization (SPTO)
• United Nations Office of the High Representative for Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States (OHRLLS)
• United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO)