Collaboration with SIS Crucial to Tourism Development

Effective Collaboration with SIS Crucial to Regional Tourism Development

28th October, 2017, Port Vila, VANUATU – Smaller Island States (SIS) members of the South Pacific Tourism Organisation (SPTO) this week identified critical areas where development assistance and regional partnerships are needed to strengthen sustainable tourism development in their respective countries.

At a meeting between the SPTO and SIS members convened in Port Vila, Vanuatu, the countries agreed on a number of priorities including tourism marketing, capacity building, cruise tourism development, air and sea links and tourism investment, to name a few. These priorities have been identified as crucial areas requiring development and funding support and the SPTO has been urged to explore news to support and collaborate with its SIS members which face unique vulnerabilities due to their remote location.

“This is the first time that SPTO has convened a meeting with our SIS members and I am really happy with the outcomes of the meeting, “SPTO CEO Christopher Cocker said.

“In 2016, SIS leaders had agreed to adopt a new Regional Strategy for SIS as the platform to ensure greater influence and presence by the SIS in shaping the regional policy agenda and direction”.

“SPTO also recognizes the importance of our SIS members as large ocean states that are attractive tourist destinations and who have continued to receive growing visitor arrivals every year, despite their vulnerabilities”, he added.

“Through this meeting and future discussions that we will be having with our SIS members on a regular basis, SPTO will be better placed to provide the assistance and support they need. This committee will be a vehicle through which SPTO will address SIS priority needs”.

The meeting with SPTO was attended by representatives from the Cook Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Kiribati, Niue, the Republic of Marshall Islands and Samoa as Observer. The government of Niue is the chair of SPTO’s SIS Committee.

About SPTO
Established in 1983 as the Tourism Council of the South Pacific, the South Pacific Tourism Organisation (SPTO) is the mandated organisation representing Tourism in the region. Its 18 Government members are American Samoa, Cook Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, French Polynesia, Kiribati, Nauru, Marshall Islands, New Caledonia, Niue, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Timor Leste, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu and the People’s Republic of China. In addition to government members, the South Pacific Tourism Organisation enlists a private sector membership base.

ENDS

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