Solomon Islands wins bid to host 2026 Council of Tourism Ministers’ Meeting

Solomon Islands will host the 2026 Council of Tourism Ministers’ Meeting following a successful bid by Minister of Culture and Tourism (MCT), the Hon. Choylin Yim Douglas who is attending the 2025 event in Tonga this week.

The event presents a major economic windfall for the Solomon Islands with a large contingent, including delegations from more than 20 Pacific Island nations and international observers, expected to attend.

Minister Yim Douglas, accompanied by a Tourism Solomons senior management team, also used the event to draw attention to the ongoing challenges and limitations Solomon Islands faces in the aviation and connectivity sector, referencing the existing Air Services Agreement (ASA) with Fiji.

The Minister underscored the importance of aligning national efforts with the SPTO Tourism Aviation Strategy 2023–2026, recently endorsed at the SPTO Board Meeting, which she said challenged the Solomon Islands expansion on the Fiji-Solomon Islands route.

Her comments were met with favourably by the Fijians who stated their willingness to work with the Solomon Islands and other member countries in developing aviation space in the region.

Positioned as a week of collaboration, inspiration and action, the Council of Tourism Ministers’ Meeting is being hosted by Pacific Tourism Organisation (SPTO), in partnership with the Government of Tonga with the week-long program bringing together senior tourism officials, ministers, youth advocates, and development partners from across the Pacific.

The event commenced with the SPTO Board of Directors Meeting and the Pacific Youth Forum on Sustainable Tourism attended by two Solomon islanders – Zaza Gina of Western Province Tourism Office and Cerdick Williams local of Easterner Travel and Tours, a local tourism operator from Temotu Province.

This event was followed by the 3rd Pacific Sustainable Tourism Leadership Summit.

Focus was also brought to bear on the ever-growing opportunity presented by the burgeoning international cruise sector, subject matter for which formed the basis of the 3rd Cruise Tourism Forum.

Co-facilitated by the PTO, South Pacific Cruise Alliance (SPCA), and Tonga’s Ministry of Tourism, discussion revolved around strengthening the region’s cruise tourism sector and the role it plays in supporting island economies.