Our Purpose & Local Impact

The following reports offer a deep dive into the successes and learnings of the previous year in both Fiji and Bali. They highlight key feedback, statistics and other trends so that all may understand the extent of our impact and the direction we are taking as we continue moving towards ‘Think Global’.

On behalf of the entire TP team. I would like to say a big thank you to everyone who has contributed in any way to the TP Foundation across the past year and I hope you enjoy reading and reflecting on what has been a momentous year – Tom Scrase.

Annual Report – Fiji – Download Here 👈

Annual Report – Bali – Download Here 👈

We believe that impact must be measured to be meaningful. To ensure our work remains transparent, effective, and aligned with local priorities, we regularly analyse our outcomes, produce impact reports, and submit official updates to relevant government ministries in our partner countries.

To ensure our work creates meaningful, measurable, and lasting outcomes, Think Pacific is committed to tracking our impact across all operations. Our 10-Year Global Impact Framework is our strategy for monitoring and evaluation. This is made up of five strategic areas we are monitoring consistently across each delivery destination.

🌿 1. Respecting Local Perspectives and Indigenous Governance

We monitor how our programs align with and support traditional governance and cultural authority by tracking:

• % of programs co-designed with community leaders

• Number of formal agreements or MOUs with indigenous or local governance structures (e.g. vanua, banjar, TAO)

• Number of cultural induction or training sessions delivered to participants

• Community satisfaction scores on cultural respect and consultation processes

• Case studies documenting local leadership influence in program design or delivery

💛 2. Empowering Communities through Co-Created Initiatives

We track how communities lead and sustain projects, and how we support their priorities, through:

• % of initiatives identified and prioritised by the community

• Number of co-creation workshops held with local stakeholders

• Number and type of community-led projects implemented

• Capacity-building sessions delivered to local staff and community members

• Level of post-program community ownership and continuation

📈 3. Investing in Jobs, Small Businesses, and Inclusive Economic Growth

We measure the economic impact of our programs by tracking:

• Total local wages paid (annually and cumulatively)

• Number of local staff employed (disaggregated by role, gender, and age group)

• Number of local businesses or cooperatives supported (e.g. homestays, artisans, guides)

• Percentage of program budget spent on local procurement

• Number of enterprise training sessions delivered or businesses incubated

🎎 4. Preserving Cultural Identity and Restoring Natural Ecosystems

We evaluate both cultural and environmental contributions through two streams of tracking:

Cultural Indicators

• Number of cultural protocols embedded in program design

• Number of cultural leaders or stewards engaged

• Hours of cultural exchange sessions (e.g. storytelling, language, rituals)

• Feedback from elders or cultural committees on cultural integrity

Environmental Indicators

• Number of conservation or regeneration projects completed

• Hectares of land or coastline restored or protected

• Number of trees planted, coral rehabilitated, or species monitored

• Number of participants trained in sustainability practices

• Reductions in carbon emissions or waste per participant (where measurable)

🌍 5. Inspiring the Next Generation of Ethical Travellers and Global Citizens

We measure participant transformation and long-term global citizenship through:

• Participant self-assessments of cultural awareness and global mindset (pre/post)

• Number of participants engaged in structured reflection and learning modules

• % of alumni involved in sustainability, volunteering, or social impact after return

• Documented stories of behaviour or mindset change (e.g. career direction, advocacy, lifestyle)

• Net Promoter Score (NPS) and qualitative testimonials

Think Pacific integrates directly with national strategies for sustainable travel and inclusive development in each of our destinations.  We hold several formal MOU’s with government departments and National Tourism Associations to partner with them and achieve aims in direct collaboration.

Here are the national policies, plans and tourism initiatives that we support:

🇫🇯 Fiji

1. Fiji National Development Plan (2017–2036)

• Supporting goals in education, youth development, rural infrastructure, healthcare, and job creation
• Working in formal partnership with Fijian Ministries

2. National Sustainable Tourism Framework (2024–2034)

• Aligned with pillars of community prosperity, ecosystem protection, cultural integrity, and visitor value
• Delivered through ethical travel, local leadership, and education-based programming

3. Ministry of iTaukei Affairs Cultural Protocols

• Honouring cultural knowledge, land rights, and traditional authority
• Embedded into every program through community leadership structures

🇹🇭 Thailand

1. Sustainable Tourism Goals (STGs) to 2030

• Adapted from the UN SDGs: inclusion, sustainability, equity
• We support this through education, environmental awareness, and respectful cultural immersion

2. Thailand Green Plan 2030

• Focused on low-carbon and conservation-based tourism
• Our contribution: permaculture training, zero-waste workshops, and local conservation projects

3. ESG ‘Village to the World’ Model

• Community-driven, values-led tourism
• Think Pacific supports slow, immersive, and locally owned tourism pathways

4. GSTC-Recognised Standards

• Upholding Global Sustainable Tourism Council criteria: equity, culture, ecology, economy
• Our programs reflect these values in design and delivery

5. National Strategy (2017–2036)

• Thailand 4.0 vision: innovation, inclusion, and sustainability
• We align through youth leadership training and SEP-aligned activities (Sufficiency Economy Philosophy)

6. OTOP Model

• Support for rural entrepreneurship and village-made products
• Our programs connect participants with cooperatives, artisans, and changemakers

7. TEATA Collaboration

• Working with the Thai Ecotourism & Adventure Travel Association to uphold national tourism standards and ethics

🇮🇩 Bali (Indonesia)

1. Law No. 15 of 2023 – Sustainable Tourism Governance

• Mandating inclusive, community-driven planning
• Think Pacific works directly with community leaders for co-creation and capacity building

2. Love Bali Campaign

• Supporting the conservation levy and educating participants about its purpose
• Designing experiences that contribute to cultural and environmental protection

3. Cultural Regulations

• Respecting sacred sites, ceremonies, and dress codes
• Delivered through pre-departure training, local guides, and on-site workshops

4. Tri Hita Karana

• Core to Think Pacific’s design and philosophy — harmonising people, planet, and spirit

5. Pentahelix Model

• Partnering with government, academia, business, media, and communities for lasting change

6. Sustainable Tourism Villages

• We work in and with recognised regenerative tourism villages like Penglipuran
• Offering homestays, artisan workshops, and community-run experiences

7. Bali NZE 2045

• Net-zero goals supported through green energy education, reforestation, and eco-accommodation initiatives

As a for-impact organisation within the realm of travel, we find ourselves in a sector that can easily be delivered unethically; becoming exploitative of cultures and societies, leveraging global challenges or the resources of other countries for business gain and reinforcing unequal power dynamics in global discourse. Whether a model is considered ethical or not comes down to how the programmes are structured and how our overall impact model is communicated and actualised. Being clear of the roles within this model are important.

Without careful design and communication, the same model could be at risk of leading to harm.

For Participants:

• Lack of respect of host culture can tarnish learning experience and is inappropriate
• Lack of willingness to learn will stunt the growth experience
• Shallow cultural engagement can reinforce stereotypes and biases

For Partners:

• Time and energy may be diverted from more effective business models or activities
• Reinforces unbalanced global power dynamics 
• Limits space for local people to take part

For Destinations:

• Economic benefits may concentrate in already wealthy areas
• Can unintentionally displace local labour or learning opportunities
• Contributes to over-tourism and short-term fixes
  
• Contributes to environmental pressures

Partners’ Voices From Fiji Explaining The Local Impact Of Previous Expeditions

In this video, partners from government, NGOs, and local leadership share how Think Pacific’s small-group expeditions spark authentic connection, cultural collaboration, and community transformation. These immersive journeys in Fiji aren’t just about exploration, they’re about:

• Deep, respectful engagement with indigenous governance and traditions

• Equitable co‑creation of community-led initiatives

• Shared responsibility and mutual learning across cultures and generations

Through the stories our partners tell, we see how our model of regenerative small‑group travel creates lasting local impact, reshaping both the destinations we visit and the travellers who join us.

Think Pacific programs are partnership-based, regenerative, and purpose-led. Our aim isn’t just to take people somewhere; it’s to transform perspectives, strengthen local partners, and create long-term, measurable impact. We try to go beyond “Sustainable Travel” and actually become “Regenerative.”

Sustainable travel asks: How do we reduce the damage we cause?

Regenerative travel asks: How do we contribute to the health and renewal of the places we visit — socially, culturally, and ecologically?