Ex-All Black is off to tackle school at the age of 33 after admitting ‘foul play which warranted a red card’

Ex-All Black Malakai Fekitoa will have to resort to tackle school – at the age of 33 – if he is to play some part with Tonga in their November series. The 2015 Rugby World Cup winner, who ended his 24-cap New Zealand career in 2017, has been...

Samoan pack to outmuscle Tonga

A Volcano Erupted 6,000 Miles Away. Why Did It Shake the Ground 16,000 Feet Deep in Alaska?

The Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai eruption on January 15, 2022, was one of the most powerful volcanic explosions ever recorded. Located in the South Pacific, the underwater volcano released energy equivalent to hundreds of Hiroshima-scale atomic...

3rd Pacific Sustainable Tourism Leadership Summit Opens in Vava’u, Tonga

The 3rd Pacific Sustainable Tourism Leadership Summit officially opened today at Puataukanave Hotel, Vava’u, Kingdom of Tonga, under the theme Midway to 2030: Realigning, Reaffirming and Recommitting to Sustainable Tourism. The Summit marks a...

Inaugural Forum Opens in Vava’u, Tonga to Champion Youth Leadership across the Region

The Pacific Tourism Organisation (SPTO) officially launched the inaugural Pacific Youth Forum on Sustainable Tourism (PYFST) today in Vava’u, Tonga, with a powerful opening address by SPTO Chair Lady Adela Issachar Aru. The Forum marks a historic...

SPTO Board of Directors Convenes in Vava’u, Tonga

Key Resolutions Passed to Advance Regional Tourism Governance and Strategic Planning The Pacific Tourism Organisation (SPTO) Board of Directors convened its annual meeting on Monday, 20 October 2025, at Puataukanave Hotel, Vava’u, Tonga....

Police band to perform at Samoa vs Tonga match

The Royal Tonga Police Band has arrived in Brisbane ahead of the Rugby League Pacific Championships, set to perform in support of the Tonga national side. The band is preparing to join the Samoa Police Band at the high-profile clash between Toa...

Two Izzys better than one for Tonga as halves reunite

Tonga trip boosts Taumalolo and all the king's men

A highlight was lunch at the royal residence with King Tupou VI. Taumalolo was feted as a national hero on the trip, with team management struggling to get him from one venue to the next because of his popularity.

'Attack the game': Katoa brings Walsh mantra to Tonga

Halfback Katoa, just 21, is a keen watcher of footy. He said Brisbane's grand final hero Walsh had adopted a supreme confidence, combined with skill, that would not be denied in the 26-22 decider win over Melbourne.

Pacific Tourism Organisation Builds Local Capacity on Digital Marketing and Research in Vavaʻu, Tonga

The Pacific Tourism Organisation (SPTO) has concluded a series of focused capacity-building workshops in Vavaʻu, Tonga, designed to strengthen digital marketing, branding, and research skills among local tourism stakeholders. The training supports...

Pacific Community (SPC) governing meetings hosted by Kingdom of Tonga appointed new Director-General to lead the organisation

The Pacific Community (SPC) and the Kingdom of Tonga were pleased to welcome government officials, regional leaders, and international partners to Nuku’alofa for the 55th meeting of the Committee of Representatives of Governments and...

ADB approves 10 mln USD grant to build economic resilience in Tonga

MANILA, Oct. 23 (Xinhua) -- The Asian Development Bank (ADB) said on Thursday that it has approved a 10-million-U.S.-dollar policy-based grant to help enhance public sector management and social and economic resilience in Tonga. The Improving...

ATTA Joins Pacific Leaders at the 2025 Pacific Sustainable Tourism Leadership Summit in Vava’u, Tonga

The Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA) was honored to participate in the Pacific Sustainable Tourism Leadership Summit, hosted by the South Pacific Tourism Organisation (SPTO) in Vava’u, Tonga. The event brought together representatives...

Could Samoa vs Tonga be as big as State of Origin?

The NRL season may have drawn to a conclusion but rugby league continues to bless us well into late October/early November. This weekend will host the game I consider the main event of the off-season. Apologies to our Kiwi brothers and sisters...

Record-breaker Katoa tipped for more Tongan heroics

The 21-year-old, regarded as the leading young playmaker in the game, has been backed by coach Kristian Woolf to be an even better player in the Pacific Cup this year than he was last season when he announced himself as a rare talent.

Reviving black tapa — traditionally reserved for Tongan royalty

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — In 1953, Queen Salote Tupou III of Tonga attended the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in London, famously riding through the rain in an open carriage. This act, as many recall, “won the affection of the British...

Tonga Could Soon Become the First Country to Recognize Whale Rights

Across every tale passed down through Tongan generations, one remains unchanged: the Polynesian kingdom’s creation story. The beginning was the ocean; and from the ocean, the islands’ first ancestors emerged. In one creation story, there were two...

Stefano seeks redemption in Tonga return

Do Samoa, Tonga and New Zealand have a better pack than the Kangaroos?

“It’s probably the most evenly matched Pacific Champs that we’ve had over the last three years or so. It’s good for the international scene as well, a good building stage in the lead up to the World Cup. “They are full of powerhouses across the...