The Pacific Tourism Organisation (SPTO) supports 20 member countries in promoting sustainable tourism through marketing, research, and sustainable development initiatives. In 2021, the Pacific Sustainable Tourism Policy Framework (PSTPF) was endorsed by the Pacific Council of Tourism Ministers to guide the sector towards greater sustainability. Aligned with the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Global Sustainable Tourism Council’s (GSTC) criteria and the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent, the Pacific Sustainable Tourism Industry and Destination Standards were developed to assist destinations and tourism enterprises in adopting sustainable practices. The standards provide benchmarks for improvement, promote responsible travel, and encourage public-private partnerships. Based on the request of the SPTO, the SWITCH-Asia Pacific – Policy Support Component (PSC) will implement the technical advisory (TA) ‘Supporting Sustainable Tourism through SCP policy development and implementation in the Pacific: With considerations of the Pacific Sustainable Tourism Standards for destination and for industry’. In short, this Project will be called: The Sustainable Tourism Enhancement in the Pacific (STEP) Project. This will involve SWITCH-Asia Pacific PSC and SPTO working together to support the alignment of national tourism policies with Pacific Sustainable Tourism Standards, with a particular focus on the SCP policies and practices, in consultation with SPTO member countries in the Pacific. This alignment requires country-specific assessments to identify existing gaps, challenges, and necessary policy reforms.
