Update from the Division – Pacific Sustainable Tourism Newsbeat | Issue 65

Mālō e lelei from the SPTO Division of Sustainable Tourism!

Welcome to the Pacific Sustainable Tourism Newsbeat – Issue 65.

May was a milestone month, featuring several key events hosted by SPTO, including the Regional Workshop on Sustainable Tourism, the bi-annual SPTO Board of Directors Meeting, and the much-anticipated South Pacific Tourism Exchange (SPTE). These gatherings brought together tourism leaders, professionals, and stakeholders from across the Pacific—a colourful and inspiring celebration of regional collaboration, innovation, and cultural pride. More of this can be found in this month’s newsletter.

This month, our Country in Focus is the Kingdom of Tonga. We explore the inspiring sustainability efforts led by Tonga’s Ministry of Tourism and industry partners. Highlights include:

• National clean-up campaigns
• The development of the Tonga Tourism Roadmap 2025–2030 and the eco-tourism guidelines to support marine resource areas
• A spotlight on True Vava’u Gift Shop, which champions sustainable products and promotes circular economy principles

Also featured in this issue is an insightful piece from the European Commission on the Transition Pathway for Tourism—a must-read for those interested in global sustainable tourism trends.

You’ll also find news, announcements, and updates from around the region, including a heads-up to watch out for the upcoming Expression of Interest (EOI) for the Pacific Youth Forum on Sustainable Tourism 2025.

May was a dynamic and rewarding month for the Division of Sustainable Tourism, filled with milestones and meaningful progress across the region. Here’s what we’ve been up to:

• Hosted the Sustainable Tourism Board Workshop – Brought together Board Directors and official proxies from our member countries for insightful discussions and strategic planning. The workshop also included an overview of all initiatives implemented to date under the Pacific Sustainable Tourism Policy Framework (PSTPF).
• Launched the Certification Framework & Toolkit – A major step forward in our sustainability journey, we proudly launched the Standards and Certification Toolkit for phasing out single-use plastics (SUPs) in the Pacific Islands tourism industry during the SPTO Board of Directors meeting.
• Planned the Sustainable Gastronomy Tourism Workshop – Preparations are well underway for this exciting event happening 30 June – 2 July 2025 in Nadi, delivered in collaboration with FAO and UN Tourism.
• Wrapped up Phase I of the STEP Project – We are on the verge of completing the final review of the regional roadmap as part of the finalisation of Phase I of the Sustainable Tourism Enhancement in the Pacific (STEP) project, setting the foundation for what’s to come.

For more information or to get in touch, contact us at: sustainable@spto.org

Mālō ‘aupito and happy reading!
— SPTO Division of Sustainable Tourism