The Tonga Business Enterprise Centre (TBEC)

Welcome to the Tonga Business Enterprise Centre, established in November 2010 to help advance Tonga’s business community by providing a collection of training and mentoring resources supported by sound business advice and information.

Aim

To establish a comprehensive business development services centre that provides business training and business advisory/mentoring services to existing SMEs in Tonga.

Objectives

• To increase the business survival rate and profitability of new and existing businesses via providing advisory and training support to SMEs
• To increase the number of small businesses and new jobs created, including the increased participation of women in business and the strengthening of tourism-related SMEs.
• To improve the skills of entrepreneurs in Tonga
• To support the priorities as outlined in the National Strategic Development Plan particularly focusing on tourism initially and expanding to horticulture, agriculture, fisheries and manufacturing.

Services to be provided by TBEC

The TBEC will provide:

• Business training to small businesses using both local and international trainers.
• Business advice to be provided by a specialist business advisor who can assess the needs of individual businesses, and then link them up with training and support programmes provided by TBEC
• Business mentoring services which match selected businesses with experienced New Zealand mentors, Tonga Mentors and other support programs available to TBEC
• Business information for all business support resources, training and expertise including information on criteria for loans, grants and government regulations.
• Information on access to credit and finances, and referrals to relevant micro- Regional Equity Investment Schemes, banks, TDB and micro-lending schemes.