WHEN: 23-24 April 2025 I TIME: 9:00 - 17:00 (Fiji Time) I This hybrid event is by invitation only
Background:
The Regional Validation Workshop on Sustainable Tourism Enhancement in the Pacific and Multi-Stakeholder Consultation (MSC) for Strengthening Policy Ambitions on Tourism and Climate through Sustainable Consumption and Production (SCP) and Circular Economy (CE) will be held on 23 to 24 April 2025 in Suva Fiji.
This event is organised by the Pacific Tourism Organisation (SPTO) in partnership with the EU SWITCH-Asia Pacific Policy Support Component (PSC) through the Sustainable Tourism Enhancement in the Pacific (STEP) project. The event, designed in synergy with the SPTO will gather representatives from the region, will validate policy recommendations, foster regional dialogue, and drive the integration of SCP and Circular Economy into tourism and climate policies to enhance resilience in transition to sustainability in the Pacific.
Invited participants: EU INTPA HQ, EU Delegations in the Pacific, SWITCH-Asia Policy Support Component (PSC), Partners and stakeholders of the SWITCH-Asia Technical Advisories (TA) on the Sustainable Tourism Enhancement in the Pacific (STEP).
Invited partner organisations: Pacific Community (SPC), Pacific Tourism Organisation (SPTO) Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP), UN ESCAP Pacific Regional Office, Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat (PIFs), EIB, World Bank, FAO, ADB, UNDP Pacific, GGGI, SIDS Global System Network, Pacific Sustainable Tourism Alliance, IFAD, WWF Pacific, UN Tourism, UN 10YFP and its Construction and Tourism programmes, among others.
Objectives:
The consultation serves as the regional validation workshop for the findings of the Sustainable Tourism Enhancement in the Pacific (STEP) Project Phase 1, which aims to:
- Evaluate the current national tourism standards in the four pilot countries—Fiji, Kiribati, Samoa, and Vanuatu—and assess their alignment and integration with the Pacific Sustainable Tourism Standard (PSTS) at the national level.
- Develop tailored pathways for the four pilot countries as scalable models for other Pacific destinations, integrating the Pacific Sustainable Tourism Standard (PSTS) with a focus on resource efficiency and circular economy principles.
- Establish a Regional Roadmap that consolidates country-specific insights and provides actionable recommendations for incorporating sustainability principles into tourism standards, policies, and business operations across the Pacific.
