Tonga Chamber of Commerce & Industry Inc.

Greetings Private Sector Members!

Please note the deadline for BLP's Small Grant Facility (SGF) for $6000 TOP closes at the end of this month, 31st July 2026.

Applications are submitted online. To submit your online application, please sign up to create an account at BLP's website: Business Link Pacific via link: https://businesslinkpacific.com/

TCCI can assist in submitting/creating your application.

BLP's grant support is targeted to support micro and small businesses, prioritizing those led by women, youth, people with disabilities, indigenous people, and community-based businesses, especially in rural areas.

Proposals should meet the criteria of at least one or more of the categories: innovation, growth, inclusion, climate initiatives and access to finance. They also need to demonstrate social and economic impact such as creating employment, market expansion, or environmental sustainability.

Grants are not provided for recurring operating expenses like wages, rent, debt repayment or unrelated purchases. Items like laptops might be considered, although their benefit to the business must be clearly demonstrated.

For those that have received a grant before, you are still eligible to apply again as long as deliverables from the previous grant were provided to BLP.

For any further assistance or enquiries please do not hesitate to contact our office at 25168/7721186 or email [email protected]

Business Link Pacific Find an approved BLP advisor to transform your business. BLP partners can offer subsidised services to eligible clients that have 5 to 50 staff. Find out more.

In collaboration with the 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐌𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐜𝐞, 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐝𝐞, 𝐈𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐋𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐫 (𝐌𝐂𝐓𝐈𝐋), 𝐓𝐂𝐂𝐈 held the 𝐓𝐨𝐧𝐠𝐚 𝐍𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐁𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 (𝐓𝐍𝐁𝐂) on the 17th-18th of June 2026. The conference was made possible due to 𝐌𝐂𝐓𝐈𝐋 leading with the aid of 𝐓𝐂𝐂𝐈, highlighting why it is important for the private sector to have a relationship with the Government. The guest of honor the Hon. Prime Minister, Lord Fakafanua spoke on the importance of maintaining a cohesive partnership between the Government and the private sector. Such a partnership is critical in enabling Tonga’s sustainable economic future, creating opportunities and promoting inclusive growth.

The forum featured the Government, private sector, and stakeholders engaged in addressing solutions to reduce the cost of doing business, improve workforce and skills development, MSME development, innovation, and digital transformation, as well as access and affordability of finance. Private sector and stakeholders heard from respective ministries on the progress of their efforts to mitigate these issues.

TNBC enabled a structured process to create Tonga’s National Private Sector Strategy with one partnership, one vision and one strategy. Final day yielded recommendations that will be crafted into National Private Sector Strategy to be implemented. The functions of national public and private partnership are to monitor implementation, review priorities, coordinate reforms and reporting.

Greetings Private Sector Members,

Please note registration for the National Business Conference closes today!

To register please use the link provided or call our office at 25168 to register.

An alternative phone number to reach for registration is 7721186.

Registration Form To be completed by each participant for the 2026 TNBC (17 - 18 June 2026). There is limited space available. If you have more than one participant from your business, you may be advised if there is no space available. Thank you for your interest to participate at the Tonga National Business Conferen...

Greetings Private Sector Members!

The registration for the Tonga National Business Conference 2026 is now open.

Operating under the theme "𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐍𝐞𝐰 𝐅𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐅𝐨𝐫 𝐓𝐨𝐧𝐠𝐚'𝐬 𝐏𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐒𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫: 𝐓𝐨𝐟𝐚 𝐡𝐚 𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐚 𝐟𝐨𝐧𝐨𝐧𝐠𝐚 𝐟𝐨'𝐨𝐮 𝐦𝐚'𝐚𝐞 𝐒𝐞𝐤𝐢𝐭𝐨𝐚 𝐓𝐚𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐚𝐡𝐚 '𝐚 𝐓𝐨𝐧𝐠𝐚", the conference intents to bring together businesses from around Tonga to share experiences, discuss ideas, explore opportunities, establish networks regarding key areas important for private sector growth.

It is also aimed at strengthening cooperation and trust between Government and the Private Sector around common goals and be able to develop appropriate set of recommendations for relevant stakeholders at the conclusion of the conference to support private sector priorities.

Registration can be completed online through the link provided or by calling TCCI's office at 25168 or MTED's office.

Please find the link below for registration.

https://forms.gle/ehNVC42L7EoWML4Y9

Registration Form To be completed by each participant for the 2026 TNBC (17 - 18 June 2026). There is limited space available. If you have more than one participant from your business, you may be advised if there is no space available. Thank you for your interest to participate at the Tonga National Business Conferen...

TCCI is ready for 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐫 𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐨 𝐃𝐚𝐲 𝟏!

Come check us out at our booth.

We will be explaining the main services TCCI offers:
✅Networking
✅Advocating
✅Training

Our booth is also featuring one of our key partners, Business Link Pacific (BLP). TCCI is happy to explain BLP services and the process for each service:
✅ Business Toolkit
✅ Business Advisors
✅ Business Financing

Be sure to drop by!

Ongoongo Tukuatu

Hiki Totongi Lolo ki Me 2026

‘Oku faka‘amu ‘a e Potungaue Fefakatau‘aki mo e Langa Fakalakalaka faka‘ekonomika ke fakahoko atu ke mea’i ‘e Hou‘eiki mo e Kakai ‘o e Fonua ‘a hono fokotu’u ‘e he P**e Fe’unga ‘a e ngaahi totongi lolo fo‘ou ki he mahina ko Me 2026 ‘o kamata ngaue’aki aho Falaite aho 1 o Me 2026

Koe totongi fakamovetevete ki Tongatapu ni, koe

Pen*sini hiki aki seniti .25 ‘o $3.95 ki he lita
Kalasini hiki aki seniti .20 ‘o $3.85 ki he lita
Tisolo hiki aki seniti .15 ‘o $4.60 ki he lita

Malo Aupito
Va'a Tokangaekina 'ae Konisiuma
_________

PRESS RELEASE

Increase in Petroleum Prices for May 2026

The Ministry of Trade and Economic Development wishes to advise the public that the Tonga Competent Authority (TCA) has approved new petroleum prices, effective Friday, 1 May 2026.
As a result, the updated retail prices for Tongatapu are as follows:

Petrol: Increased by 0.25 cent to $3.95 per litre
Kerosene: Increased by 0.20 cent to $3.85 per litre
Diesel: Increased by 0.15 cent to $4.60 per litre

Thank you.
Consumer Protection and Fair Trade Division

TCCI would like to extend our deepest gratitude to business owners and stakeholders for taking the time and effort to attend the online and in-office meetings with ILO regarding the impact of Overseas Labor Mobility (OLM) in Tonga. The outcome of these meetings revealed the economic impacts of OLM on businesses in Tonga which included the following:

➡️Skilled workers migrating more than unskilled workers
➡️Minimum to no notice towards employers when employees leave
➡️Employees returning from the OLM scheme does not enhance productivity in the business as they return with the same skills and knowledge as when they left
➡️Lack of work integrity in employees
➡️The cost of bringing foreign workers to Tonga
➡️The lengthy process it takes to complete a single application in Tonga for foreign workers
➡️Providing incentives to retain employees from leaving such as increasing wage salary

Even though the research is focused on the economic issues, business owners communicated the non-economic impacts are equally costly to their businesses. The mental strain of dealing with such issues often and the reintegration process with employees in the OLM program. These are only the few of the non-economic impact business owners have expressed.

Though the weariness is evident, it is clear the only way forward to combat these issues is unity. For businesses to stand together to amplify these issues where it will not be ignored.

In 2025, ILO celebrated 50 years of work in the Pacific. TCCI was invited to join in the momentous celebration. During which President, Sam Vea met with ILO officer Mahanam Mithun and requested research be conducted to evaluate the impact of labor migration in Tonga.

Since then, ILO and TCCI worked to initiate this research. On Tuesday, 21st April 2026 TCCI welcomed Mr. Mithun and international consultant Proma Parmita to Tonga. Ms. Parmita hired by ILO to conduct the research "𝐄𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐜 𝐈𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐎𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐚𝐬 𝐋𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐌𝐨𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐢𝐧 𝐓𝐨𝐧𝐠𝐚". We were delighted to host them joined by Mele Amanaki the representative for workers before they start their mission to collect data from stakeholders and business owners.

As always TCCI is grateful for the continued partnership with ILO in creating decent work environments, strengthening the voice of the private sector in policy dialogue and helping businesses adapt to challenges.