SAMOA CRUISE TOURISM STRATEGY LAUNCHED
Samoa Tourism Authority has launched a 5 year Tourism Strategy.
Photo: Eyespyradio
The Samoa Tourism Authority has launched a 5 year Tourism Strategy
that will boost a vested interest in the industry rehabilitation plan
bringing in 12 to14 port calls during 2023-2024, since its many
cutbacks that were interrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic and measles
epidemic back in .
The strategic plan is one of the many first dedicated frameworks that
will overarch bruises and potholes left by Covid for the past 2 years
hence the lack of tourist travelling to Samoa. This means the Samoa
Tourism is set to redeem the industry in terms of re-developing Samoa
and generating revenue to boost its economy.
During the remarks by the Chief Executive Officer of the Samoa Tourism
Authority Pativaine Petaia-Tevita she mentioned that part of their
development strategy was conducting situational analysis that was
undertaken to tackle goals in the coming years in 2021/2022 to
2026/2027.
''Through these, there was active engagement with Shipping Agents,
Tour Operators, Cruise Lines, Border Agencies, Cruise Alliances and
Others as part of efforts to develop a sound understanding of the
landscape and inform the following phases of the project'' mentions
Pativaine Petaia-Tevita.
" the strategy doesn’t exist in isolation and is well-linked to the
Pathway for the Development of Samoa through the key strategic outcome
of ‘Tourism Revitalisation’, the draft Samoa Tourism Sector Plan, the
Samoa Tourism Strategic Marketing Plan, the UN SDGs, the World Bank
2040 Pacific Possible Tourism, the Pacific Sustainable Tourism Policy
Framework 2030 and the Pacific Tourism Organisation Strategic Plan
2020-2040" she further explained.
Given Samoa’s geographic location, the majority of cruise ships that
have called in tend to be on longer trans-Pacific repositioning and
round-the-world itineraries and during 2014-2019, there were on
average 14 port calls per annum with a total economic injection of
approximately $5.2 million tala per year.
The Chief Executive Officer Pativaine Petaia-Tevita has encouraged
that this branch of service needs a strengthened and solid approach in
rebuilding the cruise tourism of Samoa.
"we must move forward in unison to achieve our shared goal" in her
final remarks.