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21 Jun, 2015

Pacific Island countries to develop cruise strategy

Melbourne, Friday, 19 June 2015 (South Pacific Tourism Organisztion media release) – Pacific Island countries have agreed to develop a Pacific Cruise Tourism Development Strategy 2015-2019 that will assist the development of cruise tourism strategies and assist line ministries, government agencies, donors and development partners to determine appropriate investments in infrastructure and the necessary upgrades and improvements needed for their cruise strategy.

PICs to Develop Pacific Cruise Strategy

Rosie Tours Managing Director Eroni Puamau and SPTO CEO Ilisoni Vuidreketi at SPTE 2015

This was agreed at the Strategic Cruise Development Forum organized by the South Pacific Tourism Organisation (SPTO) in Melbourne, Australia.

SPTO Chief Executive, Ilisoni Vuidreketi said, “The purpose of the forum was to hear directly from our regional stakeholders on their insights into the development of the Pacific Cruise Tourism Development Strategy 2015-2019 (PCTDS), which is expected to be completed in November 2015.”

The SPTO organised the forum to coincide with the two-day South Pacific Tourism Exchange (SPTE) that is being held at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre on the 19th and 20th June, 2015.

“This forum is an effective consultation process with our National Tourism Offices and government board members on the way forward for the PCTDS. We are quite pleased to be able to bring all our stakeholders, cruise consultants Chart Management and Cruise Liners International Australia (CLIA Australia) to a forum in Melbourne to discuss and develop our Pacific Cruise Strategy,” Mr. Vuidreketi reiterated.

The Pacific Cruise Tourism Development Strategy Forum follows the launch of the European Union (EU) funded Pacific Cruise Market Research and Intelligence report (PCMRI) released in May this year.

The report focuses on regional constraints and cooperation to facilitate sustainable tourism growth in the cruise tourism sector. It explains issues, growth opportunities and potential economic benefits and details limitations of geography and market preferences that require PICs to be realistic about their cruise plans and strategies.