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Regional Validation Workshop: Sustainable Tourism Enhancement in the Pacific (STEP)

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Regional Validation Workshop: Sustainable Tourism Enhancement in the Pacific (STEP)
Type: Workshop
Location: Suva, Fiji
Organizer: SPTO and SWITCH-Asia
A Multi-Stakeholder Consultation for Strengthening Policy Ambitions on Tourism and Climate through Sustainable Consumption and Production and Circular Economy

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.

 

Agenda

Wednesday, 23 April 2025 (DAY 1)

 

8:30AM

DAY 1 (Registration)

 

 

9:00 – 11:00

 

Thematic Cluster Meeting (TCM): Regional Validation Workshop of the TA on Sustainable Tourism Enhancement in the Pacific (STEP)

  • Welcome and Opening Remarks
  • Overview of workshop objectives
  • Regional Frameworks (Circular Economy and SCP, PSTPF and standards)
  • National Frameworks
  • Project overview – STEP
  • STEP - Country Assessments – Key Findings
  • STEP – Regional Roadmap presentation

Q&A Open Discussion

 

11:00 – 11:30

 MORNING TEA

 

11:30 – 13:00

  • In-country consultations (demonstration countries) – Key Findings
  • Presentation on Country Pathways

Q&A and Open Discussion

 

13:00 – 14: 00

LUNCH

 

 

14:00 – 16:30

Discussions on topic areas of the Regional Roadmap nominally: (Based on Roadmap topics)

  • Education, awareness, and capacity building (Circular Economy)
  • Green Public Procurement (Tourism Supply Chain)
  • Building, Construction and Fitout
  • Standards and Monitoring

(Working Afternoon Tea)

 

16:30

END OF DAY

 

Thursday, 24 April 2025 (DAY 2)

8:30

DAY 2 STARTS (Registration)

9:00 – 11:00

Thematic Cluster Meeting (TCM) cont: Regional Validation Workshop of the TA on Sustainable Tourism Enhancement in the Pacific (STEP)

Invited Participants and Partners

  • Recap from Day 1
  • Overview of workshop objectives (Day 2)
  • Presentation of Country Pathways and STEP Regional Roadmap building on feedback from Day 1.

Q&A and Open Discussion (Online Poll)

11:00 – 11:30

MORNING TEA

11:30 – 13:00

Regional Roundtable: Building resilience through circularity of the tourism value-chains – Building on Proposed Roadmaps and Pathways

 

1st Panel Discussion (Invited Speakers)

  • Circular Economy (including on Plastics and Waste
  • Sustainable tourism value-chain (including on tourism and food)

Q&A and Open Discussion

13:00 – 14:00

LUNCH

14:00 – 15:30

Regional Roundtable: Building resilience through circularity of the tourism value-chains – Building on Proposed Roadmaps and Pathways

 

2nd Panel Discussion (Invited Speakers)

  • Green Public Procurement
  • Financing and Market Transformation

Q&A and Open Discussion

  • Opportunities for regional roadmap and country pathways (reflecting above discussions)

15:30 – 16:00

AFTERNOON TEA

16:00 – 16:45

  • Leveraging other opportunities and value adding to priorities
  • Implications for the regional roadmap and country pathways(Reflections on what we have heard)

16:45 – 17:00

  • Next Steps
  • Closing Remarks
  • Evaluation

17:00

END OF DAY 2

 

Learn more about STEP. View the Project Brief here