Fiji Joins Samoa, Kiribati, Vanuatu, And Tonga In Major Sustainability Breakthrough – Pacific Tourism Now Leads The World!

Published on October 23, 2025

By: Paramita Sarkar

A awesome milestone successful nan Pacific’s sustainable tourism travel was celebrated connected October 21st, 2025, during nan Pacific Sustainable Tourism Leadership Summit (PSTLS 2025), held astatine nan Puataukanave Hotel successful Vava’u, Tonga. Over 8,000 professionals, policymakers, and tourism leaders gathered to witnesser nan motorboat of nan Pacific Regional Roadmap and nan Country Pathways for Fiji, Kiribati, Samoa, and Vanuatu nether nan Sustainable Tourism Enhancement successful nan Pacific (STEP) project.

The STEP initiative, funded by nan European Union (EU) done nan SWITCH-Asia Pacific Policy Support Component (PSC), is designed to thief Pacific Island nations modulation to sustainable and information tourism practices. The charismatic unveiling of nan roadmap and pathways marks a pivotal measurement successful driving low-carbon, resource-efficient, and resilient tourism models crossed nan Pacific region, further cementing nan area’s activity successful sustainable tourism innovation.

What Is nan Pacific Regional Roadmap?

The Pacific Regional Roadmap provides a coordinated strategy to merge Sustainable Consumption and Production (SCP) and Circular Economy (CE) principles into nan tourism sector. This broad plan, developed by nan Pacific Tourism Organisation (SPTO) successful business pinch nan EU SWITCH-Asia program, is designed to accelerate nan displacement towards much sustainable tourism practices. The roadmap outlines nine location interventions and five nationalist pilots, offering applicable solutions to create a much information and eco-friendly tourism exemplary crossed nan Pacific.

The roadmap is tailored to nan unsocial needs and challenges of Pacific land nations, taking into relationship their geographical limitations, economical reliance connected tourism, and biology concerns. The extremity is to guarantee that tourism successful nan Pacific is some sustainable and regenerative, benefiting not only section economies but besides preserving nan earthy situation and taste practice for early generations.

Who Are nan Key Countries Involved?

The countries taking portion successful this awesome sustainable tourism inaugural include:

• Fiji: Known for its pristine beaches and vibrant coral reefs, Fiji is taking actual steps to incorporated SCP and CE into its tourism framework. The country’s pathway focuses connected strengthening nan section proviso chains and processing sustainable tourism standards to guarantee responsible growth.
• Kiribati: With its immense oceanic territory and low-lying islands, Kiribati faces unsocial challenges related to ambiance change. The country’s pathway focuses connected adaptation strategies that merge sustainable tourism practices while building resilience to biology pressures.
• Samoa: Samoa’s pathway outlines community-based tourism strategies that prosecute section communities successful decision-making processes and guarantee that tourism benefits are shared wide crossed nan island. The state is besides investing successful low-carbon infrastructure and responsible recreation practices.
• Vanuatu: Vanuatu is aiming to fortify its tourism standards and regenerative tourism models, creating a sustainable tourism assemblage that straight supports section businesses and helps sphere nan country’s rich | taste traditions.

These countries, done their tailored pathways, are turning location commitments into tangible nationalist actions that will style nan early of Pacific tourism.

Where and When Did nan Launch Take Place?

The motorboat arena took spot astatine nan Puataukanave Hotel successful Vava’u, Tonga, during nan Pacific Sustainable Tourism Leadership Summit connected October 21, 2025. The arena was officiated by Hon. Taimalelagi Minnie Tuia of American Samoa, who unveiled nan Pacific Regional Roadmap and invited nan representatives of nan 4 demonstration countries—Fiji, Kiribati, Samoa, and Vanuatu—to subordinate her connected shape for a commemorative photograph. This historical infinitesimal marked nan charismatic commencement of a caller era of sustainable tourism successful nan Pacific.

How Will STEP Phase II Shape nan Future of Pacific Tourism?

Building connected nan successes of STEP Phase I, Phase II (October 2025 – October 2026) will attraction connected embedding SCP and CE principles into nationalist tourism policies, standards, and business practices crossed nan Pacific. With nan support of nan EU SWITCH-Asia Pacific PSC, this adjacent shape will:

• Support nan mainstreaming of circular economy and sustainability successful nationalist tourism frameworks.
• Facilitate nan improvement of sustainable tourism standards successful nan 4 participating countries: Fiji, Kiribati, Samoa, and Vanuatu.
• Enable location knowledge speech done webinars, policy dialogues, and peer-learning events coordinated by SPTO.

What Are nan Expected Outcomes of STEP II?

The purpose of STEP II is to accelerate nan implementation of SCP and CE principles successful nan tourism sector. The task will equip tourism businesses and community enterprises pinch nan tools and resources needed to heighten their competitiveness, trim waste, and build resilience to biology shocks.

Additionally, nan task is expected to laic nan groundwork for early EU investments nether nan Global Gateway and nan Team Europe Green-Blue Alliance. By embedding sustainable practices astatine nan halfway of tourism development, nan inaugural will thief nan region build a regenerative and inclusive tourism economy that generates semipermanent benefits for nan people, planet, and prosperity of nan Pacific islands.

Why Is This Partnership So Important?

The STEP inaugural is not conscionable a location project; it represents a global model for really mini land nations tin thrust circular and inclusive tourism models. The Pacific region is starring by illustration successful demonstrating that sustainable tourism practices tin create tangible economic, environmental, and societal benefits. The collaboration betwixt national governments, private-sector partners, and international organizations underscores nan value of aligning policy, practice, and investment to execute a much sustainable early for tourism successful nan Pacific.

By integrating SCP and CE principles, nan Pacific islands are positioning themselves arsenic world leaders successful regenerative tourism, paving nan measurement for different regions to travel suit.

Conclusion

The charismatic motorboat of nan Pacific Regional Roadmap and nan 4 Country Pathways marks a historical measurement successful nan region’s sustainable tourism journey. With nan support of nan EU SWITCH-Asia Pacific PSC and SPTO, nan Pacific islands are mounting an illustration for nan world successful creating low-carbon, resource-efficient, and resilient tourism models. As nan STEP Phase II task unfolds, nan Pacific will proceed to show really mini land nations tin lead nan measurement successful driving sustainable tourism that benefits some section communities and nan environment.

With Fiji, Kiribati, Samoa, and Vanuatu starring nan charge, nan region is connected way to transform tourism and guarantee that early generations inherit a thriving, regenerative tourism economy.