Te Unga Mai Professional Development Training Held in Rotorua, New Zealand

The Te Ūnga Mai Professional Development Training, held in Rotorua from 30 July to 2 August 2024, brought together tourism professionals from the Pacific Islands and New Zealand for an immersive and interactive destination management programme.

The programme is designed to guide and support tourism professionals in developing and implementing future-focused, action-oriented Destination Management Plans. The programme meets tourism leaders wherever they are on their Destination Management journey, offering opportunities to gather Knowledge, Insights, and Practical Tools; develop Destination Management Skills and Capabilities; Strategic Thinking in a Supportive Environment; Facilitate and Lead Destination Management; Understand Key Destination Management Principles; Network with International Tourism Professionals; and Focus on Sustainability, Climate Change, and Adaptation.

The Pacific Islands were represented by the following eight National Tourism Organisations:

•  Salote Waiwalu from the Fiji Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation
• Kiarake Karuaki from the Tourism Authority of Kiribati
• Meleoni Vakapuna from the Tonga Ministry of Tourism
• O’vetta Pearson from Niue Tourism
• Celestina Yolou from the Vanuatu Department of Tourism
• Roland Setu from the Samoa Tourism Authority
• Brad Kirner from the Cook Islands Tourism Corporation
• Gina Bunton and Erwin Eparania from Tahiti Tourisme,
• Along with Christina Leala-Gale and Lusia Matairakula from the Division of Sustainable Tourism at SPTO.

The participation of the Pacific delegation was through the funding support of the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

The four-day programme provided an interactive learning exchange on a range of interesting yet critical topics, including governance and leadership challenges and solutions, stakeholder collaboration, funding models for Destination Management Organisations, Climate Change impacts, adaptation and mitigation, innovative products and experiences, involvement of local communities and owning the narrative, culture and traditions, traditional knowledge and practices, crisis management and finding solutions for the future among others.

All Pacific delegates had the opportunity to share briefly on their work with some engaging in panel discussions, such as the Tahiti Tourisme’s discussion on “The Impacts of Climate Change” and the Cook Islands Tourism Corporation’s session on “Governance and Leadership Structures That Enable and Empower Destination Management Outcomes.” The Pacific Delegates also had the opportunity to join the New Zealand cohort of the Climate Champions Training facilitated by the Travel Foundation in partnership with Expedia Group.

The Te Ūnga Mai training provided a valuable platform for knowledge exchange, skill development, and fostering international collaboration, paving the way for a more sustainable and resilient tourism industry in the Pacific. The Pacific delegation acknowledges with appreciation the support of the New Zealand MFAT and Regional Tourism New Zealand, Rotorua Regional Tourism Organisation and the RTOs, private sector and government agencies at Te Unga Mai for the privilege to be part of this educational experience.