Christopher Cocker [Source: Pacific Tourism Organisation/Facebook]

A regional workshop on the Sustainable Gastronomy Tourism Agenda is fostering stronger collaboration between farmers and the tourism sector across the Pacific.

Pacific Tourism Organization Chief Executive Christopher Cocker states that gastronomy is a crucial niche segment, supporting the region’s focus on high-value, low-impact tourism.

He says agri-tourism, eco-tourism, and gastronomy are key drivers of this approach.

Cocker says the workshop connects farmers with tour operators to create food-focused tours, featuring farm visits and local eating experiences.

“As I mentioned earlier, agriculture is the backbone of our economies, but tourism is the new kid on the block. It’s about bringing these two important sectors together because when you look around the region, the key sectors providing revenue for our member countries are agriculture, of course, fisheries, and also tourism, which has great potential.”

Permanent Secretary for Tourism Salaseini Daunabuna says the initiative aligns with Fiji’s 10-year National Sustainable Tourism Framework.

“Within this framework, we want to be able to achieve by 2034 a sustainable tourism industry, which would also include how we would connect the agriculture sector with the tourism sector.”

Daunabuna says Fiji has already piloted this connection through the Farm to Fork Initiative and found that both sectors are operating in isolation, creating a gap in supply and demand.

She says Fiji’s import bill remains high, and they are looking forward to the opportunities this workshop will present on how to strengthen the connection between agriculture and tourism.

Daunabuna explains that gastronomy tourism is more than just eating; it’s about sharing the story behind each meal, a special tradition common in Pacific cultures.

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