WHO promotes healthy tourism in Pacific

The World Health Organisation says it hopes a new partnership with the South Pacific Tourism Organisation will improve the health of both the tourism workforce and tourists to the region.

WHO Technical Officer, Dr Ada Moadsiri, said the so-called 'Healthy Islands' project would promote smoke-free public places, increase the opportunities for people to eat healthy local foods and get physically active.

She said it would also support better access for disabled tourists to popular tourism sites as well as hotels and restaurants.

She said the move was aimed at locals as well as visitors.

"In fact it will involve helping to make our tourism workforce healthier as well as provide opportunity for our tourists. I know there's a growing demand for healthy options when it comes to visits to other countries especially in the Pacific and so we want to support those efforts."

Dr Moadsiri said the first initiative will be a workshop on tobacco-free tourism in Fiji in March.