On international tourism stage, strong recognition for the Solomon Islands and huge applause for Tourism Solomons with CEO, Josefa ‘Jo’ Tuamoto invited to join the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) executive board.
The move follows the attendance of Mr. Tuamoto at the ‘PATA Annual Summit 2019’ in Cebu, Philippines, last week where, participated in a leadership debate. There he presented an impassioned presentation on the United Nation Sustainable Development Goal 8 – ‘Sustainable economic growth and decent jobs for all’.
The presentation, delivered in juxtaposition with his counterpart from the Guam Visitors Bureau, was welcomed with a standing ovation from hundreds of delegates taking part in the event.
Following this at the annual general meeting of the organization, Mr. Tuamoto was requested by PATA chair, Dr. Chris Bottrill and the executive to connect with the board as a director, in the process of turning out to be the first-ever Fijian to achieve the honour.
Illustrating the invitation as a “real feather in the cap” not just for the Solomon Islands but the entire Pacific region, CEO Tuamoto explained he felt tremendously honored by the invitation and to have so much trust placed in his hands by the leadership of the Asia-Pacific’s most highly respected travel industry organization.
“This is indeed a prestigious honour and I would like to express my extreme gratitude for being given this amazing opportunity,” Mr. Tuamoto said.
Before joining the then Solomon Island Visitors Bureau in 2013, he already had a an impressive profile on the international tourism scene.
As an erstwhile CEO of Tourism Fiji, his huge overseas experience with the Fijian national tourist office comprised stints as Regional Director for both Australia and the Americas before his meeting with the dual CEO and international marketing director roles in 2008.
As Tourism Fiji Mr. Tuamoto was the catalyst and took personal management responsibility for the international repositioning of Fiji’s international tourism profile under the highly successful ‘Fiji Me’ branding.
He imitated the same success on behalf of the Solomon Islands in mid-2018 as the driving force behind the move to rebrand Tourism Solomons and the concurrent launch of the extremely well-received and highly distinctive ‘Solomons Is.’ branding.
Tags: PATA Annual Summit 2019
