Tonga Tourism Authority Act 2012 (No. 25 of 2012).

This Act establishes the Tonga Tourism Authority as a body corporate. The Authority shall be responsible for the development and implementation of strategies and plans which deliver the objectives as outlined in this Act. Objectives of this Act include to encourage whole of nation approach to engage all sectors and stakeholders to work together to make greater contribution to the development of Tonga’s tourism. Guiding principles for the implementation of this Act include minimization of environmental impact from tourism developments and application of due regulatory processes to ensure the protection and conservation of biodiversity, water resources and terrestrial and marine environments.
The Authority shall be responsible for providing policy advice to Government, through the Minister, for the marketing, development, administration, promotion and investment in the tourism sector. The Minister may give directions to the Authority with respect to matters of policy approved by Cabinet. Nothing in this Act shall affect the operation of any other law prescribing requirements applying to the tourism sector, including laws specified in section 5. The Board of the Authority may, in consultation with the Minister and relevant authorities and tourism stakeholders’, implement arrangements for the development of the tourism sector in any district.