The 30th Joint Commissions Meeting of the UNWTO started yesterday in Fiji’s third largest city of Nadi. It has climate change, biodiversity and sustainable tourism development as its main focus.
Speaking during the opening ceremony, Fiji’s Minister for Tourism Faiyaz Koya said that hosting the meeting in the Pacific for the first time is indeed important for the region.
The 3-day meeting, which is being attended by the countries such as Fiji, China, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Tuvalu, Vanuatu, Australia and Papua New Guinea, is an opportunity for Fiji and the Pacific to showcase tourism opportunities. Koya said that at the same time the meeting highlights the challenges that the nations in this region face due to climate change.
Tourism in Fiji and the Pacific is a vital contributor to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and employs a large number of Pacific citizens.
In Fiji, for example, the tourism sector contributes at least 30 percent to the GDP and employs 1 in 3 persons in the workforce.
The Pacific region is the smallest contributor to global warming. “However, we are the ones that are affected the most by climate change, raising sea level that not only affects sectors such as tourism but also affects arable land,” Koya said.
Therefore, the Regional Seminar on Climate Change, Biodiversity and Sustainable Tourism Development being held in the margins of the Joint Commissions Meeting is timely. Koya said that via this seminar, the Pacific Island countries can bring to the forefront the challenges faced by the region.
Tags: UNWTO, UNWTO starts in Fiji
