Update from the Division

Mauri and welcome to another monthly update from SPTO’s Division of Sustainable Tourism! In this issue of the Sustainable Newsbeat, we bring to you updates from the beautiful islands of Kiribati on their Sustainable Tourism journey. As the National Tourism Organisation, the Tourism Authority of Kiribati (TAK) recognises the potential of tourism as a sustainable development tool for the country.

The TAK shares in this Newsbeat updates on some of the projects undertaken to date as part of the Kiribati Sustainable Tourism Development Framework. These include waste management programs, the support for sustainable fisheries management, promoting inclusivity and mainstreaming cultural preservation into tourism initiatives. To measure the impact of sustainable tourism,, the development of the Kiribati Sustainable Tourism Indicators is underway and will inform further policy development for the sector. The Newsbeat also highlights Ms Kiarake Karuaki, Tourism Officer for Product Development, as Kiribati’s Sustainability Champion.

From the region, we are spotlighting local partnerships from Fiji on celebrating the 2023 Global Recycling Day and a new partnership agreement between the PNG Tourism Promotion Authority and Bougainville Tourism Promotion Authority. In addition, we are featuring a government and community representatives training on managing Marine Protected Areas in Timor Leste and French Polynesia’s slow-growth objective.

As the Newsbeat’s resource of the month, the World Animal Protection’s recent report on ‘The Real Responsible Traveller’ presents an assessment of leading travel experience companies and tour operators on their commitment to wildlife friendly tourism. Some important upcoming events and useful sustainable tourism tips are also detailed for information.

Have a read through these stories and sign up here if you would like to access this e-newsletter and receive the latest updates from the tourism industry in the region.

Should you have any queries or want your sustainable tourism story featured in the next issue, feel free to contact us via sustainable@spto.org. For the next issue, we will take you to the beautiful state of Yap from the Federated States of Micronesia!

Kam Rabwa! (Thank you)