The weeklong South Pacific Tourism Organization (SPTO) Meeting ended on Friday 20th of October2023 with the South Pacific Tourism Minister’s Council Meeting. The meeting held has two panel discussions comprised of Tourism Minister’s from countries across the Pacific region.
SPTO Chief Executive Officer Christopher Coker said as the regional body that focuses on promoting and supporting tourism in the Pacific, they were impressed with the participants from across 21 Pacific Island countries especially with the respective Tourism Ministers who attended an event all throughout the week and participated in the panel discussions.
The two major agendas discussed by the Council of Tourism Ministers were on Improving Regional Air Connectivity and on Future Focussed Partnership in the region. The respective Tourism Ministers had an intensive dialogue around the critical links between tourism and aviation and as regional air, connectivity is recolonized as a key priority in the SPTOs regional plan how we as Pacific Islanders can address the issues of regional air connectivity to harness the huge untapped tourism potential in the Pacific.
In recognizing Tourism as a key economic driver in the region, it has the potential to generate wealth and improve the lives whilst ensuring the protection and management of the environment and eco-system through sustainable tourism in the region.
As a panellist in the Council of Tourism Minister, PNG Minister for Tourism, Arts and Culture Isi Henry Leonard emphasized that need for cultural tourism.
“There is demand for authentic cultural products in the tourism market today. People want to see authentic tourism products. However, the challenge for us Pacific Islanders is how do we protect our authentic cultural heritage whilst participating in the economic benefits that tourism brings,” explained Minister Leonard.
To conclude the 2nd SPTO Meeting, Minister Leonard placed a bid to host the 4th SPTO Meeting in PNG saying that it is an ideal opportunity for other Pacific Leaders and delegation to meeting and celebrate Papua New Guinea’s 50th Independence Anniversary together in the true Pacific Way.
