WHO promotes healthy tourism in Pacific

Photo Courtesy: SPTO

The World Health Organisation, in partnership with the South Pacific Tourism Organisation, is planning to improve the health of both the tourism workforce and tourists to the region. “The so-called ‘Healthy Islands’ project would promote smoke-free public places, increase the opportunities for people to eat healthy local foods and get physically active,” said WHO Technical Officer, Dr Ada Moadsiri.

Under the new partnership, the organizations will promote smoke-free public places and increase opportunities for people to eat healthy local foods and get physically active. The partnership also aims to support improved accessibility for persons with disabilities in the tourism sector. “Increasing opportunities for people to eat healthily and be physically active while ensuring tourist sites, public transport, hotels and restaurants are accessible to people with disabilities also has huge benefits for both visitors and local communities,”  said Dr Corinne Capuano, WHO Representative for the South Pacific and Director of Pacific Technical Support.

The partnership between the two organizations will kick-off with a WHO workshop in the Pacific on tobacco-free tourism in Nadi, Fiji from 20-21 March 2018. In the coming year, the Pacific will welcome an estimated 2.1 million visitors who can benefit from this partnership to support Healthy Islands.

Established in 1983 as the Tourism Council of the South Pacific, the South Pacific Tourism Organisation (SPTO) is the mandated organisation representing Tourism in the region.