Sixteen Pacific Island countries can expect an increase in Chinese nationals from Guangdong Province in the not-so-distant future.

The South Pacific Tourism Organisation (SPTO), the regional mandated body for tourism marketing and development, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Tourism Administration of Guangdong Province during the Fiji-China (Guangdong) Economic and Trade Cooperation Conference held at the Grand Pacific Hotel today.

In welcoming this new partnership, SPTO CEO, Ilisoni Vuidreketi said, “The purpose of this MOU is to strengthen exchanges and cooperation, and promote the development of regional tourism in Guangdong. The areas of cooperation under this agreement will actively promote tourism and cultural exchanges between the South Pacific and the people of Guangdong Province.”

The MOU is part of the SPTO's marketing programme for the China market which will greatly benefit the organisation's 16 Pacific Island government members for whom China is an emerging market.

Mr. Vuidreketi added, “Guangdong is a bustling city of 101 million people and if we can get a fraction of its population to visit the South Pacific through areas of cooperation under this MOU, the region will benefit tremendously from the economic activities generated by the boost in Chinese visitor numbers”.

The agreement sets a platform for the exchange of information between the two parties that will encourage organized tours from Guangdong Province to the Pacific Island countries as an exotic destination and promotes the South Pacific as an investment destination for large tourism enterprises in Guangdong.

SPTO's member governments can expect increase awareness of their tourism products and destinations in South China, now with this recently established relationship with the Tourism Administration of Guangdong Province.