Tonga Agritourism Policy Setting Workshop 2018
Policy setting for improved linkages between agriculture, trade and tourism:
Strengthening the local Agrifood sector and promoting Agritourism in Tonga
Workshop organised by the Government of Tonga
in collaboration with CTA, and the Pacific Community, PIPSO and SPTO
Tanoa International Dateline Hotel, Nuku’alofa, Kingdom of Tonga, 7th & 8th August 2018
Background
Promoting linkages between agriculture and tourism-related markets for improved food and nutrition security
Tourism is the lifeblood of many Pacific economies and agritourism provides a promising avenue for diversification and trade growth. High quality, nutritious and healthy food, available every day of the year, is critical to hotels, lodges and resorts. Often the food purchasing bill of a tourism site is large in comparison to the size of the local economy, yet surprisingly little of this is spent locally, even when supplies are available from farmers, fishermen and small-scale agribusinesses. The challenges of shifting food-sourcing to local suppliers are considerable – achieving this in a way that meets commercial needs and customer preferences and meets food and safety requirements would be one way in which tourism operations can significantly increase their contribution to local economic development.
Tourism has the potential to stimulate demand in the agriculture sector, promote healthy and nutritious food and strengthen the use of local products, so it is important to create linkages between the two, and to develop a policy on agritourism. In addition to the strong economic value of developing a sustainable tourism sector, enhancing the linkages between tourism and agriculture represents an important potential mechanism to stimulate and strengthen traditional local producers and processors and to improve the distribution of benefits along the chain as well as generate investment incentives for local production. The trade policy environment should be more favourable to the private sector and investment, while supporting local entrepreneurs and SMEs through appropriate measures that address import substitution, notably in the form of tariff and non-tariff barriers.
Linkages between agriculture, health and tourism not only potentially increase opportunities for domestic agriculture earnings, new markets and product development and therefore sustainable economic growth, but also offer opportunities to help develop visitor attractions and distinctive tourism destination brands through the creative use and marketing of local produce and production techniques, and use of local landscapes. In order to acquire these benefits, the tourism industry needs to be proactive in utilizing local, high quality, healthy and niche agricultural products in touristic sites and events.
Goal: To promote sustainable use of local food by the tourism industry through a new coordinated Tonga Agritourism Plan or Strategy to strengthened intersectoral policies.
Objectives:
- To promote linkages between the agrifood sector and the tourism industry to increase sustainable local sourcing through a new developed agritourism plan or policy for Tonga
- To identify key institutional and supply chain gaps and issues that should be advocated through this new Plan and stakeholders that would drive the changes
- To formulated an initial work plan and a working group that will take forward concrete actions drawn from the consultations.
- To identify concrete projects that can be supported under the intra ACP EU funding.
- To contribute to the Pacific regional agritourism strategy.
Expected results
- A better common understanding of the opportunities in agritourism in Tonga
- A platform promoting linkages between Agriculture and Tourism is established
- Priority areas for development and support under the intra ACP funding are identified
- A Tonga Agritourism Policy and the framework to implement the policy are designed
- The main elements of the Strategy/policy on agritourism are developed and validated by the multi-sectoral focus group.
- An initial work plan and a working group that will take forward concrete actions drawn from the consultations.
Background Note & Programme
Highlights
Draft Biodata of Speakers (coming soon)
Photos (coming soon)
Resources
- The Tonga Agriculture Policy Bank [link]
- Tonga Tourism Sector Roadmap 2014-2019, Final Report [pdf]
- Tongan Heritage Tourism Scoping Study,Final Report – Volume I, May, 2012 c [pdf]
- Tonga gets small slice of tourism growth in Pacific region [link]
8h30-9h00 Registration
9h00-9h15 Opening Address
Honourable Minister of Agriculture, Food, Forests and Fisheries- Mr Semisi Fakahau
9h15-11h00 Session 1: Setting the scene: what do we know about opportunities to support linkages between agriculture, health and tourism
This session will set the scene on the opportunities that the tourism sector can bring and the needed linkages with other sectors such as agriculture and trade. It will look at successful models in other parts of the world and what could of interest to Tonga agritourism policy.
– Photo Session (Honorable Minister with Participants)
Moderator: Emeline Tuita
– Setting the scene: Agritourism Policy for Tonga
Viliame Manu CEO for Ministry Agriculture, Food, Forests and Fisheries Ministry of Agriculture,Tonga [presentation]
– Overview of Fisheries Policy and linkages to the Tourism Industry
Mr Poasi Ngluate Acting CEO Ministry of Fisheries [presentation]
– Overview of tourism development and opportunities for greater connection with the agriculture industry at policy level
Acting CEO – Pulupaki Ika – Ministry of Tourism [presentation]
– Overview of main agricultural and fisheries fresh and processed products with potential for the tourism-related markets This slideshow could not be started. Try refreshing the page or viewing it in another browser.
Ministry of Trade and Economic Development