On February 7, PIC invited the “South Pacific Tourism Organization” (SPTO) and Embassies of the Pacific Island Countries and held a council meeting on the tourism developments of Pacific Island Countries at Meiji University’s “Shikon Kan”.
PIC planned this meeting by catching Mr. Cristopher Cocker (CEO of SPTO) during his visit to Tokyo to greet the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Pacific Island Countries’ Embassies and PIC on route to Okinawa for the “Japan-Pacific Islands Tourism Senior Officials’ Meeting” held on February 10.
Ambassadors from Tonga and Samoa as well as ministers of the Federated States of Micronesia, Marshall Islands and Palau attended this meeting.
Mr. Cocker gave a talk on the present situation and challenges of the tourism industry in Pacific Island countries as well as future growth strategies, while PIC Director Saito introduced PIC's activities in tourism. Then, each embassy made various comments about how to increase tourists, especially from Japan to the Pacific Island countries, followed by active exchanges of opinions among all attendees.
Prior to this council meeting, PIC also separately discussed with Mr. Cocker the cooperation between PIC and SPTO in tourism exchange between Japan and Pacific Island countries.
PIC will remain in touch with embassies and persons related to the tourism industry in Pacific Island countries in order to expand the tourism-related network between Japan and those countries.