Department signs MOU with Eco Tourism Australia

The Government, through the Department of Tourism, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Eco Tourism Australia.

The signing took place when the Department of Tourism went over the newly introduced Tourism Accreditation Program on October 27.

Principal Accreditation Officer, Jerry Spooner, said the purpose of the MOU is to work together with Eco Tourism Australia to get expert advice, guidance and support in incorporating the sustainability aspect of tourism businesses, with the aim to encourage better management practices around environment and culture through the Standards Program.

He said, “This is what Vanuatu needs to address the issue of better environment and cultural protection and management, by getting outside expert assistance from Eco Tourism Australia and this has come in at the right time”.

Director of the Department of Tourism, George Borugu said this year alone, the Department of Tourism has collected feedbacks based on the newly rolled out Tourism Accreditation Programme. “This is a great achievement to get the support from the private sector into this new system and to gather all stakeholders to stay throughout the day and take part in reviewing and discussing what is to be their programme”, he said.

“Over the past months, the Accreditation Team has gathered feedback from the completed self-assessment forms and from consultations carried out throughout the six Provinces, Municipal areas and through several discussions with stakeholder agencies”.