SUBA, U.S. Embassy in Fiji, Kiribati, Nauru, Tonga, and Tuvalu -- United States Ambassador to Fiji, Kiribati, Nauru, Tonga, and Tuvalu Joseph Cella announced a new grant of US$20,000 (FJ$42,500) for the Pacific Tourism Association (SPTO) as part of the U.S. Embassy’s Economic Resilience Grants.

Ambassador Cella said, “The U.S. Embassy is delighted to celebrate World Tourism Day by supporting local tourism organizations and associations that are finding innovative solutions to the economic adversities caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Congratulations to the Pacific Tourism Organization (SPTO)! This support for their project will augment the bridges which exist between our countries, in the short and long term, as they continue to build local capacity and resilience across the Pacific.”

This grant will allow the SPTO to work with small tourism businesses in Fiji, Kiribati, Nauru, Tuvalu and Tonga to build their capacity to respond to the new reality for tourists post COVID. In the long term this project will improve their capacity for ongoing innovation and adaptation.

Combined with the previous five grants, U.S. Embassy Suva has committed a total of USD$175,000 (FJ$373,600) to projects working toward economic recovery and resilience this year. The goal of these grants is to bolster local organizations and associations that are finding creative solutions to the economic adversities caused by the pandemic, with a focus on projects related to developing tourism, entrepreneurship, and trade with the United States.

The Embassy aims to support economic prosperity, driven by open market policies, high standard investments, increased connectivity, improved natural resource management, and developing fair and reciprocal trading relationships. This initiative is part of a host of activities by the U.S. Embassy in Suva and the Department of State in Washington, D.C. to promote economic growth and build a robust trade relationship between the United States and its allies in the region.