Tonga Tourism Authority Seeks Avenues To Support ‘Building Back Better’ With The Green Climate Fund Readiness And Preparatory Support Project.

The Tonga Tourism Authority is proud to be considered one of the partnering agents on behalf of the Tourism businesses in Tonga for the ‘Enabling Private Sector Access to Climate Finance to Strengthen Climate Resilience Development in Tonga’, through the Tonga Chamber of Commerce and Industries (TCCI), funded by the Green Climate Fund Readiness and Preparatory Support Project.

An advisory meeting attended by Managers at the Tonga Tourism Authority and Programme Manager with Mrs Carrie Vaea and Senior Project Development Officer Ms Malini provided an opportunity for Tourism recovery to be at the forefront of discussions for the Project.

The Project which aims to equip the private sector with climate change-ready initiatives understands the importance of Tourism as a driving engine in Tonga’s economy and the businesses behind it. The Readiness and Preparatory Support Programme – known simply as the Readiness Programme – of the GCF seeks to maximize the effectiveness of this fund by first building the capacities of national governments and/or non-governmental institutions in vulnerable countries to increase accessibility and effective management of climate financing via strategic frame-working and programming at the country level. The main focus of this Readiness Programme includes 1) Strengthening private sector engagement with the GCF through knowledge and capacity building; 2) Crowding-in private sector investment for climate actions; and 3) Building the capacity within the private sector to develop GCF concept notes/funding proposals.

This Readiness Programme works in close cooperation with the Department of Climate Change under MEIDECC, with the aim to support the enabling of private sector participation in the pursuit of Tonga’s long-term Joint National Action Plan 2 (JNAP2) on Climate Change and Disaster Risk Management and national climate finance goals. The activities of this Readiness Programme will support the Government of Tonga (GoT) in advancing its GCF Country Programme to address climate change impacts by leveraging private sector expertise and resources as well as develop strong public-private partnerships by building on existing capacities and enhancing institutions already in place at national, sectoral and community levels as well as the outer islands.

The Tonga Tourism Authority is delighted to have been invited to provide expert knowledge and insight on the development of the concept for building back a more resilient and climate change-ready, Tourism Sector for Tonga. The initial stage has begun with discussions between the Readiness Programme who approached several accommodations that were affected by the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai eruptions and tsunami earlier in the year.

The next phase of the Readiness Programme awaits the Project approval that will be managed and monitored by the Tonga Chamber of Commerce as the Executing Agency in conjunction with the Tonga Tourism Authority and MEIDECC.

While discussions are still underway, the Tonga Tourism Authority would like to invite tourism businesses, particularly those who were severely damaged by the recent HTHH aftermath who wish to be considered in the Readiness Programme, make contact with the Tonga Tourism Authority on 25334, Monday to Friday at 8:30am to 4:30pm except on national holidays.

For more information and or questions, please contact Ms Simata-e-la’a Palu at the Tonga Tourism Authority at simatapalu@gmail.com or +676 7744669.