Chris Cocker

CEO, Pacific Tourism Organisation (SPTO)

Christopher Cocker is a Tongan national and is the CEO of the South Pacific Tourism Organisation. He has over 20 years’ experience and expertise in Pacific trade, investment global tourism marketing and promotion. Before joining SPTO in June 2016, he was a short-term consultant with the Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC) based in Suva, Fiji, the Project Manager for the EU-funded Pacific Regional Tourism Capacity Building Programme (PRTCBP) administered by the SPTO (2013-2015) and prior to SPTO, he was the Marketing Officer for the EU-funded Increasing Commodity Agriculture Trade (IACT) project administered by SPC.

His previous work posts based in Auckland, New Zealand, include Trade Commissioner of Pacific Trade & Invest (PT&I) and Senior Programme Manager, Pacific Cooperation Foundation (PCF). Earlier in his career he was the Marketing & Memberships Services Manager at SPTO promoting regional tourism in global markets.