Visitor arrival numbers slump in the Pacific Island Countries and Territories
Tourism and the Pandemic
All around the world, COVID-19 is having serious impacts on the tourism industry. The Pacific Island Countries and Territories (PICTs) are no exception.
Geospatial solutions help improve statistics in the Pacific
Cartography is an integral part of household census and survey cycles. Traditionally, maps have been used to help with field enumeration and to spatially represent aggregated results and indicators for analysis and dissemination.
Tonga finding new ways to promote human rights for vulnerable women and children
When COVID-19 forced the world into a lockdown this year, workplaces across the world were forced to adjust to new ways of operating or doing business. Many were forced to shut down, temporarily or permanently. But in the face of the harsh realities of…
New data shows significant declines in international trade in four Pacific Island countries
2020 will be remembered as the year the world experienced COVID-19, the first global pandemic of the modern era. The Pacific has not been spared, and although the number of cases has not reached certain levels known elsewhere in the world, many economic…
High Resolution Population Grid for the Pacific Region
The availability of reliable and timely spatial population data is highly valuable when analysing a wide range of sustainable development areas, including Disaster Risk Assessment and Response, Health and Infectious Disease, Water Availability or Coastal…
From luxury lotions to tasty local dishes: Tonga’s mozuku seaweed producer reinvents his company to face the challenges of COVID-19
At the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, cruise ship traffic in the Pacific halted. Access to luxury markets disappeared. Small local businesses were severely affected. By developing different products and new markets, in the Kingdom of Tonga, in Oceania…
SPC signs agreement with Aquaculture Without Frontiers to support private sector aquaculture enterprises
With the objective of strengthening private sector aquaculture enterprises, a Special Service Agreement has been signed this month between the Pacific Community (SPC) and Aquaculture Without Frontiers (AwF).
Under this agreement, AwF will provide…
Safety and compliance training will help Tongan electrical contractors support post-COVID tourism recovery
TC Harold hit Tonga on 9th April with estimated damages of about USD111 million, coming largely from the tourism sector. Tonga remains COVID-19 free but the pandemic, combined with the disaster recovery efforts has taken its toll on the tourism industry…