Page 23 - IB June 2017

Tourism
Tourism growth inspires island ambitions

Samoa targets arrivals

New Zealanders drawn by the beauty of the islands make up Samoa’s biggest market. Photo:Invictus
SAMOA will aim to continue improve- get people here,” Bentley said. wider community,” Payne said.
ments in its local tourism market after a Samoa has put in major tourism infra- The Samoa Tourism Exchange in-
recent visit by travel industry represen- structure improvements in an effort to cluded exhibitions, property inspections,
tatives from around the globe. maintain strong visitor growth, includ- Food and Wine Tour and activities
The Samoa Tourism Exchange at- ing the construction of a new arrivals across the country.
tracted international interest, coming terminal at Faleolo International Airport. Participants were also treated to the
ahead of similar events in Fiji, Australia Slated for opening in January 2018, Samoan Prime Minister, Tuilaepa Fa-
and the regional SPTE 2018in Sydney. the new terminal will increase capacity tialofa Lupesoliai Sailele Malielegaoi,
Tourism Samoa’s Dwayne Bentley said and improve comfort for visitors ahead playing the ukulele and singing for them
every effort was being made to increase of an attempt to push for service of the at Poutasi village.
arrival numbers. destination by larger aircraft. “I’ve had a great time at the Samoa
“Kiwi visitor numbers for 2016 were With expected connections to the Tourism Exchange, where we’ve seen
up eight per cent from 2015 to around Southern Cross Cable, Samoa hopes to beautiful and outstanding resorts and
66,000, securing their place as our big- improve Internet speed and connectivity properties, each with something differ-
gest market,’’ Bentley said. by the end of 2017. ent to offer families and couples alike,”
‘’Australians were just under half that Meanwhile, Samoa Hotel Association said Anita Gatley of Wedding Travel from
at 31,000, with American Samoa sitting consultant Kate Payne said moves were New Zealand.
third with about 15,000.’’ afoot to address service standards which Samoa Tourism reported positive feed-
Samoa recorded 145,000 tourists in had been an issue in the past. back from influential travel trade and
2016 – a growth of 4.4 per cent over “But in the past two years we have media representatives from American
2015. made positive progress in food and Samoa, China, South Korea, Japan, North
“It’s a positive result that can be at- beverage delivery, kitchen standards and America, United Kingdom, European
tributed to awareness of the destination housekeeping skills for the members of Union, Australia and New Zealand.
and the effort everyone is putting in to the Samoa Hotel Association and the n Invictus News and Features Service

Islands Business, May 2017 23