Vanuatu has established a strong national commitment to sustainable tourism, guided by the Vanuatu Sustainable Tourism Policy (VSTP) 2019–2030 and the Sustainable Tourism Strategy (VSTS) 2021–2025. These frameworks articulate a vision for a high-value, low-impact tourist economy that preserves cultural heritage, protects fragile island ecosystems, and spreads tourism benefits more equitably across communities and provinces. Instruments such as the Vanuatu Tourism Permit and Accreditation Program (VTPAP) and the Tourism Operator Minimum Standards (VTOMS) provide an important regulatory foundation but need updating to fully integrate sustainability criteria.
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 Vanuatu. 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 Vanuatu Country Pathway seeks to accelerate the uptake of CE and SCP practices in the tourism sector by addressing two central questions:
- How are CE and SCP principles currently reflected in Vanuatu’s VSTP, VSTS and other policies, and what opportunities exist to mainstream and consolidate them across governance and implementation systems?
- How can national tourism standards for Vanuatu (VTPAP and VTOMS) be developed and aligned with the PSTS to support effective adoption of CE and SCP practices at scale?
