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This paper identifies that the option to study tourism is not accessible to secondary school students in Tonga. It argues that, if it was possible to include tourism studies in the curriculum, this could potentially stimulate interest for students in this industry, in a Pacific island that is heavily dependent on tourism. It could also encourage and help retain students who are disengaging from secondary school education. This could potentially increase students' confidence and at the same time provide an appropriate entry level qualification for the tourism industry. The paper compares the curriculum that New Zealand and Australian counterparts offer for secondary school tourism students. It reports from the perspective of major stakeholders in Tonga, recent regional studies on tourism subjects for schools in other parts of the South Pacific, and concludes by suggesting strategies and a pathway to commence the introduction of tourism subjects that would benefit both the students and the tourism industry of Tonga. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tourism is the main economic sector for Tonga, generating more than 100 million Tongan pa'anga (dollar) (TOP) in tourism expenditures in 2015 to the Kingdom's economy (Tonga Reserve Bank estimates, January 2016). However the industry remained stagnant during the decade 2003-2013, caused primarily by a combination of political instability and events. The demise of the national carrier, Royal Tongan Airlines, in 2004 put aviation in Tonga on hold, resulting in very limited regional and no domestic services for a few months. Political unrest and the subsequent burning of the capital city, Nuku'alofa, in 2006 added more problems to Tonga's struggling economy. The global recession of 2009 greatly affected travel demand to the region, Tonga included. Lack of aviation and tourism infrastructure development during the period was another concern. Recent grants from various international agencies for major much-needed infrastructure projects, political reforms, changes in key policies, introduction of low cost carrier services operating under new air services agreements, all played a pivotal role in the recovery effort. Recent hotel rooms' expansion and overall improvements to the tourism industry, complement development in the aviation front. This study evaluates these issues, strategies and policies, based on recent analysis of government aviation policies, assessment of infrastructure and development projects, and the industry investment and development plan. Recent consultation and workshops were conducted in Tonga on these issues, with stakeholders both within the public and private sector. Events that may have been responsible for the stagnant period in aviation and tourism in Tonga from the decade 2003-2013 were analysed, shedding new information on the road to recovery. The outcome is that Tonga's aviation and tourism sector looks set to take off in the near future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tourism development must be shaped by the needs and desires of the local and national destination community to maximise benefits and minimise adverse consequences for the host community. The cultural values, needs and desires of the local people should be central in the development planning process. In Samoa, tourism is becoming increasingly important and it is undoubtedly influencing the cultural lives of communities exposed to the industry. Samoa sees the need therefore for its cultural values and heritage (fa'a Samoa or the Samoan way of life) not only to be appropriately presented for the visitor's experience, but also to be meaningfully preserved. The Samoa tourism industry requires tourism activities to promote unique aspects of their culture and heritage (including food preparation, art and craft, and cultural performances) to visitors, and for these to be incorporated into the national secondary and tertiary level tourism curriculum. This paper aims to consider that incorporating cultural aspects and values authenticated and packaged as training modules as part of the national qualification authority framework would be beneficial to the Samoan tourism industry. The outcome is a series of fa'a Samoa training modules, approved and accredited to be taught to learners, and tourism and hospitality stakeholders. The methodology used was focus groups, semi-structured interviews and consultation with key members of both the tourism and the education sector. Our research developed as part of a Samoa Tourism and Hospitality Workforce Development plan conducted in Samoa by a New Zealand Tourism Research Institute (NZTRI)1 team led by S. Milne, S. Taumoepeau, C. Deuchar and S. Mindy, aimed at developing a sustainable programme of workplace tourism and hospitality training during the period 2013-2014. One of the authors of this article was responsible for the subproject of incorporating some tourism aspects of Samoan culture and heritage issues into the Samoan Tourism Education National Curriculum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]