Pacific Tourism Organisation Hosts 2022 Inaugural Pacific Sustainable Tourism Leadership Summit

The Pacific Tourism Organisation (SPTO) will host the inaugural Pacific Sustainable Tourism Leadership Summit (PSTLS) on November 2nd in the Cook Islands. The summit is the culmination of sustainable tourism efforts to develop and showcase the Pacific as a global leader in sustainable tourism.

The PSTLS will be held alongside the Council of Tourism Ministers (COTM) and the SPTO Board of Directors meeting from November 1st – November 3rd. The COTM is the governing body of SPTO in monitoring and reviewing SPTO policies, strategies, work programme activities, and budgets and providing guidance and advice.

In acknowledging the importance of the PSTL Summit, SPTO Chairman Petero Manufolau mentioned that SPTO was the ideal body to implement such transformation that would continue to safeguard the unique and natural assets of the Pacific while promoting a clean and green tourism industry.

“PSTLS will be the driving force to transform SPTO into a global leader in sustainable tourism to uplift the consolidated quality assurance of the region and promote a clean and sustainable tourism sector,” Mr Manufolau said.

“The Council of Ministers of Tourism has a strong representation in the respective Governments and the elevation of economic prosperity and social welfare. We rely on our COTM leaders to raise the profile of PSTLS at the national level and at regional and international perspectives on sustainability leadership and climate change advocacy.

SPTO CEO Chris Cocker highlighted that Pacific Island member countries have different levels of sustainable tourism development.

Mr Cocker added that the many facets of sustainable tourism, whether related to the environment, socio-cultural or economic, had a vast opportunity for the Pacific to share, recalibrate and strengthen as a region.

“The PSTLS will give our SPTO members a voice on the regional and global scale to communicate this vision, a lobbying platform for donor support, and give the Pacific communities a stronger platform to combat climate change,” Mr Cocker said.

 “Following through the PSTLS, we hope to raise sustainable tourism development in the Pacific through our Council of Ministers and the SPTO communication channels to be a regional priority for environmental, socio-cultural, and economic development. And also harness enduring relationships with key international and regional partners to promote and develop sustainable tourism.”