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The South Pacific Tourism Organisation signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Pacific Islands Trade and Investment Commission (PTI China) last Friday to establish a partnership to progress areas of mutual interest in the promotion and growth of the Pacific’s tourism industry in the Chinese market.
The MOU was signed between SPTO Chief Executive Officer, Chris Cocker and PTI China Trade Commissioner, David Morris, currently attending the Forum Leaders meeting in Apia, Samoa.
The partnership stems from the general agreement between the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat (PIFS) and SPTO, and is an undertaking between SPTO and PTI China to work together to promote tourism in China, noting the rapid growth of China as a source of outbound tourists and investors in the tourism industry.
The MOU specifies combining the resource networks and experiences of the two Parties and highlights priority areas and joint activities in relation to tourism and private sector development in the region.
These include –
Collaboration on the preparation of a 2018 – 2022 marketing strategy for China- Pacific Islands’ tourism market development.
Collaboration on the preparation of an annual marketing action plan for promotion of China-Pacific Islands tourism in China’s Tier 1 and 2 cities.
Assistance by PTI China to SPTO in planning, coordination and representation at marketing events in China.
Collaboration in recruiting Chinese travel agents for the South Pacific Specialist training program and in reporting outcomes quarterly.
Collaboration in supporting tourism investment project proposals, marketing and match-making to identify Chinese investors to support industry development.
Collaboration in promoting and supporting exchanges between SPTO, national
tourism organisations and industry with China, including internships and senior project placements in the PTI China office and bringing Chinese interns and senior project placements to SPTO, national tourism organisations and industry in the Pacific.
Cooperation in capacity building support to SPTO, national tourism organisations and industry including workshops, language and culture programs, China-ready checklists and translation services.
PTI China will help to identify, advise, develop, promote, implement and manage opportunities to enhance Brand “South Pacific Islands” in China, including media and social media exposure, visiting journalists and bloggers.
The MOU noted an equal branding opportunity for both partners in relation to any joint projects.
SPTO CEO Chris Cocker said that there is an existing overarching MOU between SPTO with the PT&I network, however, the signed MOU was the formalization of a focused relationship between PT&I China and SPTO to develop the Chinese market. The signed MOU marks another major milestone in the relationship between the China tourism market and the Pacific region.
PTI Trade Commissioner David Morris said high spending, independent Chinese travellers were looking for new and unique destinations and PTI China and SPTO can work together to support sustainable tourism development for the Pacific.
End
About SPTO
Established in 1983 as the Tourism Council of the South Pacific, the South Pacific Tourism Organisation (SPTO) is the mandated organisation representing Tourism in the region. Its 18 Government members are American Samoa, Cook Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, French Polynesia, Kiribati, Nauru, Marshall Islands, New Caledonia, Niue, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Timor Leste, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu and the People’s Republic of China. In addition to government members, the South Pacific Tourism Organisation enlists a private sector membership base.
About PTI China
The Pacific Islands Trade and Investment Commission in Beijing promotes Pacific Islands economic development through building economic links for Pacific businesses to the world’s second largest economy, China, for trade, tourism and investment. PTI China is part of the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat’s Pacific Trade Invest network, with offices in Auckland, Sydney, Beijing and Tokyo.
ENDS
For more information, contact:
Alisi Lutu, Marketing Manager
South Pacific Tourism Organisation (SPTO)
Email: alutu@spto.org or +679 3304177
(Source: South Pacific Tourism Organisation [SPTO] Joint Press Release 11 September 2017)
