The Pacific Tourism Organisation (SPTO) and Destination Mekong recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding, starting a partnership to accelerate tourism recovery in Fiji and across Oceania region. The two organisations represent a range of tourism destinations, in the greater Mekong sub-region (Cambodia, Thailand and Vietnam) and Southwestern China (Yunnan and Guangxi), as well as 20 Pacific Island countries.
The partnership is intended to accelerate sustainable and inclusive tourism growth. The agreement will ensure that benefits will be shared equally among stakeholders across the two organisations, and that tourism development is sustainable.
The Memorandum of Understanding with the Pacific Tourism Organization “signals an important step in a partnership agreement between two major regional tourism organizations in a time when collaboration and sharing of knowledge is more important than ever”, said Jens Thraenhart, the founder of Destination Mekong. He added that the partnership would “practically assist our business communities prepare for a balanced tourism eco-system”.
Christopher Cocker, chief executive of the Pacific Tourism Organisation, concurred in a statement. “We are very excited to work with Destination Mekong to bring together our resources and experiences for the benefit of our respective member countries”. He went on to emphasise that collaboration with like-minded partners is critical for regional tourism organisations. “Innovation and collaboration will drive tourism’s recovery and ensure resilience in the long run”, he said.
