On Friday, August 4th, the Pacific Tourism Organisation’s (SPTO) Research and Statistics Division convened a virtual workshop to present the Pacific Sustainable Tourism Indicators (PSTI) funded by the New Zealand Government through its Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade to its membership and tourism stakeholders.

The PSTI is a component of the Pacific Digital Tourism Transformation Project (NZMFAT Phase 2). The Indicators align to the performance indicators of the four  Pacific Sustainable Tourism Policy Framework (PSTPF) goals: Prosperous Economies; Thriving and Inclusive Communities; Visible and Valued Cultures and Creative Industries; and Healthy Lands and Oceans.

The workshop sought to familiarize SPTO members and stakeholders with the PSTI, particularly the rationale behind indicator choices, data sources, and the respective methodologies driving them. Essentially these indicators will be a toolkit for measuring changes critical to sustainable tourism growth in the Pacific.

SPTO Chief Executive, Mr. Christopher Cocker, acknowledged that the workshop provided SPTO Member Countries with an important opportunity to discuss PSTI implementation and future trajectory.

“PSTI has the potential to be an important tool supporting policy development, management and tourism promotion. This initiative is woven into the fabric of SPTO’s  Strategic Plan 2020-2024, as it seeks to empower the Pacific through sustainable tourism development”. As such, buy in from our members is critical to the success of the PSTI”, he said.

In addition, he also noted the importance and timeliness of the PSTI.

“Sustainable tourism development underpins all of the work that SPTO is progressing, for the benefit of our industry and stakeholders. The ability to monitor and report on changes ensures that we will continuously progress towards the desired outcomes. Importantly, the PSTI aligns with global and regional efforts, including the UNWTO Statistical Framework, the Pacific Sustainable Tourism Policy Framework, SPTO Digital Marketing Strategy and the Untied Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development,” said Mr. Cocker.