SPTO – UNDP partnership to enable development of Tuvalu Sustainable Tourism Policy

The Tuvalu Sustainable Tourism Policy (TSTP) will be realized through a partnership between the Pacific Tourism Organisation (SPTO) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

The partnership which was formalized yesterday will fall under the UNDP’s Inclusive Growth Regional Programme and will see the provision of USD$44,000 to SPTO, as the lead technical partner, working in close consultation with Tuvalu’s Departments of Tourism and Trade.

The TSTP will set out a clear national vision, key priorities and goals for developing tourism in Tuvalu. It builds on the Tuvalu National Tourism Development Plan 2015-2019 and will be guided by the country’s national priorities as articulated in the Te Kete – National Strategy for Sustainable Development 2021 – 2030.

The overall objectives of the TSTP are to:

• Provide strategic direction for the planning, development, promotion, and management of sustainable tourism in Tuvalu
• Strengthen the capacity of national stakeholders in monitoring and measuring sustainable tourism progress
• Provide a platform for multi-stakeholder support and engagement in implementing national level actions in advancing the sustainable development of tourism activities

SPTO Chief Executive, Christopher Cocker, noted the importance of this type of national-level work for SPTO.

“Having recently launched SPTO’s Pacific Sustainable Tourism Policy Framework, we are thrilled to be assisting member countries develop national policies which align to the regional vision of the PSTPF and provide a clear pathway for sustainably developing and managing tourism at the national level”.

“We are very grateful to the UNDP for their ongoing support of SPTO, initially with the development of the PSTPF and now with support for Tuvalu’s Sustainable Tourism Policy”, he said.  

It is envisaged that the TSTP will be completed by mid-December 2021.