The Pacific Tourism Organisation (SPTO), convened the Regional Learning Exchange from the Sustainable Tourism Enhancement in the Pacific (STEP) Project in Nadi from 28–30 September 2026, bringing together seven National Tourism Organisations for a candid discussion on what works — and what does not — in putting the Pacific Sustainable Tourism Standard (PSTS) into practice.

The STEP Project, supported by the Global Gateway SWITCH‑Asia Programme, is not a one‑size‑fits‑all model. Its focus is on reviewing and updating national tourism standards, while adapting regional frameworks to each country’s unique circumstances. The demonstration countries — Fiji, Kiribati, Samoa, and Vanuatu — are at the forefront of this work. Through these efforts, the project ensures that tourism protects environmental and cultural assets, delivers meaningful benefits to communities, and strengthens the resilience of destinations. Experiences shared across the region underscore that every destination’s development stage and national context demand tailored approaches, reinforcing flexibility as a cornerstone of the project.

The first day focused on learning from the experiences of the four STEP demonstration countries — examining how each is developing its own pathway for strengthening tourism standards within its governance structures, institutional capacity and national priorities. The second day widened the regional lens, drawing on the experiences of non-STEP countries moving from experience to action—exploring what makes sustainable tourism frameworks practical, credible, and meaningful at the national level, including Tonga, the Cook Islands and Solomon Islands; sharing and exploring what makes a tourism standard valuable enough for industry and businesses to adopt, how success can be measured, identifying reference points, and addressing the gaps while keeping in mind what meaningful outcomes look like for businesses, visitors, communities, and destinations. By the third day, the conversation moved firmly from learning to implementation. Participants examined the practical conditions required to make standards work, including governance, industry engagement, capacity building, financing, monitoring and long-term sustainability.

The exchange also confronted the realities facing Pacific tourism. Climate change, rising energy and fuel costs, pressure on water and waste systems, and limited financial, human and institutional capacity continue to challenge governments, businesses and communities. For Pacific island destinations, maintaining competitiveness while responding to changing visitor expectations adds another layer of complexity.

Yet the message emerging from Nadi was one of determined optimism. These challenges are not reasons to step back from sustainable tourism; they are precisely why regional cooperation, shared learning and practical solutions matter. A key lesson from the exchange was that the PSTS provide a common regional foundation, not a rigid blueprint. Each destination must be able to interpret and apply the standards according to its own priorities, governance systems and capacity.

Participants also underscored that standards must be practical and achievable. The central question is not simply whether a standard exists, but whether it can be implemented, monitored and sustained within the realities of Pacific Island nations — and what can realistically be adapted across different country contexts.

At the heart of implementation are people. Building the capacity of those responsible for delivering sustainable tourism — from government ministries and tourism agencies to businesses, communities and civil society organisations — will be critical to turning standards into lasting change.

Ultimately, the exchange reaffirmed a fundamental principle: tourism must work for the places and people who host it. Protecting the Pacific’s environmental and cultural assets while ensuring tourism delivers tangible benefits to communities is not an additional ambition; it is central to building resilient and sustainable tourism destinations across the region.