Press Releases

Tourism practitioners from Island destinations deliberate on critical challenges and opportunities for a better type of tourism

The second convening of the Communities of Practice for Sustainable and Regenerative Tourism and Climate Data was held 23rd – 25th April in Honolulu, Hawaii. Organised by the Local2030 Islands Network and funded by the National Oceanic and...

Pacific Voice the “moral compass” in global push for plastics treaty

19 April 2024, Ottawa Canada - Three days from the opening of the fourth session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee to develop an international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution, including in the marine environment...

PRESS RELEASE – Electric vehicles transition on the move with discussion of two key reports

Apia, Samoa – In preparation for a Governmental fleet large scale move towards electric vehicles(EVs) in Samoa, two assessments were conducted. The results of these assessments are detailed in two reports that were discussed today – the ‘Baseline...

Visitor Arrivals and Visitor Spending Continued to Decline in March 2024

Posted on Apr 30, 2024 in News For Immediate Release: April 30, 2024 HONOLULU—According to preliminary statistics from the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism (DBEDT), total visitor arrivals and total visitor spending in March...

Solomon Islands calls on the global community to address the gaps regarding chemicals of concern in the plastic treaty

Addressing the gap between the few chemicals in plastics that are regulated globally and the growing number of chemicals of concern that are known to be used in plastics but are not identified for listing either for elimination, avoidance and...

Pacific Tourism Organisation Partners with Papua New Guinea Tourism to Drive Data Excellence for Sustainable Development

The Pacific Tourism Organisation (SPTO) in collaboration with the Papua New Guinea Tourism Promotion Authority (PNGTPA) conducted a week-long in-country workshop (May 13-17) focused on data initiatives and the Digital Measurement and Benchmarking...

FSM advocates for a dedicated multilateral fund for plastics to ensure the effective compliance and implementation of the future treaty

The Pacific is disproportionately affected by the global plastic pollution, contributing less than 1.3 percent but our ocean is inundated with bulk of the world’s transboundary washed away plastics which has serious negative environmental, health,...

Voices of Pacific Women: Marjorie Wells

Negotiating a Legally Binding Instrument on Plastic Pollution including in the Marine Environment 29 April 2024, Ottawa Canada - Stepping into deep shoes at the Plastics Treaty now underway, this Pacific Islands women negotiator is showing she can...

Samoa, as Chair of AOSIS, flags special circumstances of SIDS at plastic treaty talks

24 April 2024, Ottawa Canada - As officials and negotiators sift through the revised draft text of the international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution, including in the marine environment, the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS)...

Tonga on the path to phasing out single-use plastics, recognises the importance of national actions in meeting future plastics treaty obligations

19 April 2024, Ottawa Canada - Despite the challenges associated with being a small island developing state, the Kingdom of Tonga is making significant strides towards addressing the very visible problem of plastics. Tonga will soon finalise a...

Pacific Islands calls on the plastic treaty to include legally binding obligations and implementing mechanisms to address legacy plastics

26 April 2024, Ottawa Canada - The plastics treaty needs to include legally binding obligations that cover the full lifecycle of plastics including addressing legacy plastic already in the marine environment. The point was raised by Samoa, as the...

Bridge to Busan Declaration open for signing at Plastics Treaty talks

29 April 2024, Ottawa Canada - Today at INC4 over two dozen countries have signed on to the Bridge to Busan Declaration. Launched at the Plastics Treaty negotiations, it invigorates the call for sustainable production levels of primary plastic...

Fiji calls on the plastics treaty to comprehensively address the full lifecycle of ghost fishing gear

21 April 2024, Ottawa Canada -Fiji contributes a fraction of one per cent of the global macroplastic leakages from abandoned, lost, discarded fishing gear (ALDFG) but bears a disproportionate burden on its devastating impact on marine life and...

Birth Registration Can Be Boosted by Deploying More Health Workers

Civil registration systems are vital for providing legal identity and accessing essential services, as shown by discrepancies in COVID-19 mortality data and the ongoing challenges in birth registration, especially in poorer communities. One of the...

Pacific negotiators feel the pressure as INC ramps up work to meet deadline

28 April 2024, Ottawa Canada - Delegates from 14 Pacific countries advocating their national and regional priorities at the fourth session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC-4) to develop an international legally binding...

Canada shows the way to address plastic pollution and calls on members to make INC-4 count

23 April 2024, Ottawa Canada - Canada, the host country of the fourth Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee to develop an international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution, including in the marine environment (INC-4), is showing the...

Pacific Tourism Data Initiative is transitioning to a new home with the Pacific Tourism Organisation

The Pacific Tourism Organisation is pleased to announce the transition of the Pacific Tourism Data Initiative (PTDI) from its current home at the New Zealand Tourism Research Institute (NZTRI) based at the Auckland University of Technology (AUT)...

Hawaii’s Visitor Industry Continued to Struggle in February 2024

Posted on Mar 28, 2024 in News For Immediate Release: March 28, 2024 HONOLULU—In February 2024, a total of 772,480 visitors arrived in the Hawaiian Islands and total visitor spending measured in nominal dollars was $1.66 billion, according to...

Six Pacific MSMEs Were Awarded Under The E-commerce Grant Facility Round One

The Pacific Tourism Organisation (SPTO) congratulated the six recipients who own and operate businesses in the Cook Islands, Fiji, Samoa, and Vanuatu under the E-Commerce Grant for Pacific MSMEs Round One. SPTO in partnership with the Pacific...

2022 Pacific Sustainable Tourism Leadership Summit

Home 2022 Pacific Sustainable Tourism Leadership Summit The stage is set for the Pacific Tourism Organisation’s (SPTO) inaugural “Pacific Sustainable Tourism Leaders’ Summit” on November 2 in the Cook Islands. With the theme ‘Partnering for a...