Port-Vila, Vanuatu – Tuesday 16 December 2025: When Cindy Taritong enrolled in the Bachelor of Tourism Management & Hospitality at the National University of Vanuatu (NUV), she never imagined that her studies would take her from the classroom to the fields of Australia. Yet in October this year, she became one of two NUV students selected to join the Pacific Regenerative Learning Exchange as part of the Regional Pacific Regenerative Verification Initiative on regenerative agriculture, agritourism, gastronomy, and value-addition – an opportunity that changed the way she sees her future, her country, and even her own body.
For Cindy, the program was more than a study trip; it was a personal transformation. “I found the initiative very interesting. I wanted to know more about how we can work together to restore customs and build our future in Vanuatu,” she said. What she discovered was a whole new way of thinking – one where agriculture, tourism, culture, and community work together, not separately.
On the farm in Australia, Cindy learned what regenerative agriculture looks like in practice. She saw how a single small space can support vegetables that enrich the soil, trees that give shade, crops that provide harvests, and even animals that naturally contribute to the ecosystem. Everything has a role, and everything works in balance. The experience opened her mind to how agriculture can become an integral part of tourism in Vanuatu – not just as an activity, but as a story, a connection to Vanua, and a source of pride.
The transformation wasn’t just intellectual. During her three-week stay, Cindy worked daily on the farm and ate only organic, locally sourced food. Her body struggled at first without processed foods, but soon she felt renewed strength and clarity.
“When I stopped eating processed food and lived on fresh, local produce while working on the farm, my body struggled at first, but then I could feel myself becoming stronger and healthier.”
One of her most cherished memories was the cultural exchange. She loved meeting participants from other Pacific Islands and Australia, sharing knowledge and traditions, and building friendships through food. Cooking traditional Vanuatu dishes like simboro and preparing meals on the stone using only local ingredients reminded her of the richness of her own culture. It also showed her how gastronomy can become a powerful tool in tourism – one that tells stories, connects people, and celebrates identity.
According to Dr Cherise Addinsall, Senior Research Fellow at the University of Sunshine Coast who leads the Regenerative Verification Program, this is exactly the type of transformation regenerative tourism aims to inspire. Regenerative tourism goes beyond sustainability. Instead of simply reducing harm, it regenerates the environment, strengthens communities, supports regenerative food systems and reinforces cultural systems such as Vanua – the place, the people, the knowledge, the customs. “It’s a collective approach,” Dr. Addinsall explains. “It builds on what already exists and passes it on to the next generation.”
The Pacific Regenerative Learning Exchange brought together 25 participants from six Pacific countries, creating a powerful learning network that remains active long after the training. Students followed a holistic structure with nutrition sessions, cooking classes, agroforestry, livestock management, excursions, and daily reflections. They learned to recognise alternative business models, build critical thinking, and understand hospitality through a regenerative lens: caring for guests, sharing knowledge, and honouring the environment.
For Dr. Addinsall, NUV’s involvement is crucial. The University’s support allowed students like Cindy to not only participate but add value to the entire cohort. “The students were transformed,” she said. “And they will carry this knowledge back to their peers. Vanuatu has the potential to become a knowledge hub for regenerative tourism, and NUV plays a key role in that.”
Cindy’s story is just the beginning. Inspired by what she learned, she has already started a compost project at home and plans to build a career in regenerative. Her journey shows how education – when rooted in culture, community, and purpose – can reshape lives.
At NUV, nurturing minds isn’t just about academic learning. It is about shaping future leaders who understand their land, value their traditions, and are ready to innovate for a regenerative future.
This initiative also comes at a timely moment for NUV, as the University is currently exploring opportunities to develop a new homegrown Bachelor programme in Sustainable and Integrated Tourism, to be proposed for 2027. The insights gained through the regenerative agritourism and gastronomy verification programme are directly informing this reflection, helping NUV consider how future tourism education can be firmly grounded in Vanua, community-led development, environmental stewardship, and innovative Pacific approaches to tourism.
