The Samoa Tourism Authority (STA) is encouraged by the quarantine-free travel arrangement started last night between Australia and New Zealand.
This comes following the news that a two-way travel bubble between New Zealand and the Cook Islands is slated for May. STA welcomes the announcement as yet another important precursor to a broader Pacific travel bubble, which will restart tourism and allow a number of Pacific Islands, including Samoa, to rebuild and accelerate its economic recovery.
Samoa Tourism Authority’s CEO Fa’amatuainu Lenata’i Suifua declared: “The establishment of the Trans-Tasman bubble inspires confidence among Pacific tourism operators that a Pacific travel bubble is also inevitable.”
The bubble will provide crucial mutual benefits for all Pacific nations, as well as Australia and New Zealand, in rebounding from the economic challenges presented by the global COVID-19 pandemic and Samoa will be looking to its diaspora in New Zealand to help boost its economy when travel resumes safely, hopefully by the end of the year.
The health and safety of the local Samoan aiga (family) remains the government’s highest priority. With vaccinations being rolled out, alongside the introduction of increased procedures - including contact tracing and regular testing - a strong framework has been developed.
In the meantime, the Samoan government continues to prioritise tourism as it is the backbone of the local economy. Tourism has been a key driver of business development opportunities which the private sector and many in the community. With the majority of Samoa’s tourism hotspots and natural assets being owned by local families, Fa’amatuainu said the impact of the pandemic has been felt across the nation. When international travel eventually restarts, those opportunities will gradually open up once again and support strategic efforts.
As the original socially distant friendly destination, with no known COVID-19 community transmissions, Samoa is the perfect bucket list holiday destination. “We’re getting ourselves ready for when travel resumes. Samoa is an untouched, pristine paradise, a short distance from both Australia and New Zealand – it’s close, but you still feel a world away. It has great value for money, great for smaller budgets and has beautiful natural attributes, such as clear waters, beautiful beaches and an unspoilt natural environment” concluded Fa’amatuainu.
For updated information on future travel to Samoa visit www.samoa.travel, www.samoagovt.ws as well as the UK FCO website.
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For more information please contact:
Samoa Tourism Authority
Tel: +44 208 877 4512
E-mail: samoa@representationplus.co.uk
Visit: www.samoa.travel
Notes to editors:
Samoa: The Treasured Islands of the South Pacific
The islands of Samoa - The Treasured Islands of the South Pacific - are the true heart of Polynesia. Ten islands of stunning wild beauty, Samoa - or Independent Samoa as it is now known so as to avoid confusion with American Samoa, is paradise waiting to be explored. From powder soft beaches, to warm tropical seas, colourful coral reefs alive with marine life. The rugged, lush interiors reveal endless wildlife, waterfalls and hiking trails.
Images available upon request.