The Sustainable Tourism Enhancement in the Pacific (STEP) Project, implemented as part of the EU SWITCH-Asia Pacific Policy Support Component, offers a strategic framework to advance sustainable tourism practices tailored specifically for Pacific Island nations, including Fiji. Building on the Pacific Sustainable Tourism Policy Framework (PSTPF) and the Pacific Sustainable Tourism Standards (PSTS), the STEP initiative places a strong focus on Circular Economy (CE) and Sustainable Consumption and Production (SCP) approaches.
The STEP initiative seeks to examine and address how resource use – such as energy, water, and materials – affects and is affected by every stage of the tourism supply chain, from sourcing and procurement to service delivery and waste management. By focusing on these linkages, the project aims to reduce negative environmental impacts and promote more efficient, circular resource flows within the sector. The integration of 3R and CE principles is recognised as essential for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), advancing the 2050 Strategies for the Blue Pacific Continent, and contributing to the Antigua and Barbuda Agenda for Small-Island Developing States (SIDS; ABAS).
The Fiji Country Pathway seeks to accelerate the uptake of CE and SCP practices in the tourism sector by addressing two central questions:
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How are CE and SCP principles currently reflected in Fiji’s NSTF and other policies, and what opportunities exist to mainstream and consolidate them across governance and implementation systems?
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How can national tourism standards for Fiji be developed and aligned with the PSTS to support effective adoption of CE and SCP practices at scale?
