Case Studies

The Pacific Private Sector Development Initiative has worked to support the Pacific developing member countries to safely reopen for tourism after the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and build the resiliency of the tourism sector.

The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) presented many challenges for the Asian Development Bank’s Pacific developing member countries, particularly the most tourism dependent. While most countries felt an urgent economic need to reopen to tourism, the process of doing so presented a myriad of challenges, and required a balancing act between maintaining public health and restarting tourism. In fiscal year 2023, the Pacific Private Sector Development Initiative (PSDI) worked with national and regional partners to support countries, particularly the smaller economies, to find this balance and safely reopen their borders.

PSDI worked closely with the Pacific Tourism Organisation to develop a framework to guide the safe reopening of Pacific tourism. The outcome of this collaboration, comprising a reopening framework document, five infographic videos, and presentations at the Pacific Tourism Organisation webinars alongside regional and international events, was published in July 2023.

Still, for many developing member countries, the range of considerations to safely reopen for tourism— including the need for public–private collaboration, border reopening policies and agreements, development and implementation of health measures and protocols, and stakeholder communication— was extensive. In some cases, particularly for smaller economies with few tourism staff, it was overwhelming.

For the Marshall Islands, Niue, and Tonga, PSDI also provided country-level support for a safe reopening and, in the case of Tonga, to measure the impact of recent crises and support future resilience planning.

 In Niue, PSDI supported the development of COVID-19-safe protocols and communication guidelines for the government, industry, and visitors. PSDI’s support helped Niue Tourism navigate the challenging reopening process. A representative of the organization reached out to thank PSDI “for all the support and assistance that PSDI provided for Niue Tourism over the course of what was some of the most difficult times for tourism to navigate when our borders first reopened. Your team’s willingness and enthusiasm assisted us greatly in finding our way through those uncertain and challenging times and the support to our tourism and private sector industry was greatly appreciated.”

In the Marshall Islands, PSDI helped to refine COVID-19-safe protocols for the tourism industry and begin recovery planning. Additionally, while not seeking individual PSDI support, Solomon Islands tourism officials reported that the reopening framework had supported their planning processes.

In Tonga, PSDI supported the Government of Tonga, Ministry of Tourism to develop the Tonga Tourism Crises Impacts Assessment Report. Launched on 8 December 2022, the report estimated the cost of damages sustained from Tropical Cyclone Harold in April 2020 and the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai undersea volcano eruption in January 2022, as well as the economic losses from stalled inbound tourism because of COVID-19. “The disruptions Tonga has experienced over the past 2.5 years have deeply affected Tonga’s people, tourism sector, and wider economy. The insights from this assessment will inform the Government of Tonga’s tourism recovery policy and actions,” said Fekitamoeloa Katoa ‘Utoikamanu, Tonga Minister of Foreign Affairs and Minister of Tourism.

This case study is taken from the PSDI FY2023 Annual Progress Report. Read the full report here.