Samoa welcomes overseas travellers as borders reopen

By Talaia Mika

APIA, SAMOA – 02 AUGUST 2022: Samoa’s borders are now open to international travellers when the first commercial flight – Fiji Airways landed with 154 passengers at 4.00pm yesterday.

New Zealand’s Prime Minister, Jacinda Ardern touched down an hour before the Fiji Airways flight landed.

Samoa put on an official welcome at Faleolo International airport for the commercial flight with the Samoa Tourism Authority traditional performances and gifts in a bid to attract international travellers as the country gears up for next month’s Teuila Tourism Festival and a year-long of activities for the country’s 60th independence.

The travellers were greeted with leis, huge smiles and the sounds of drumming, guitars, dancing and singing and reigning Miss Samoa, Fonoifafo McFarland was amongst the group of performers.

Owners of commercial outlets at the airport terminal were well organised in setting up their businesses and services for the borders’ reopening.

The tourists flew in with one Tom Wetzell from New Zealand who said his trip to Samoa was long planned as his first visit in 2010 impressed him and wanted to return.

“I learned about Samoa years back through a friend and since then I had been saving up to come back and I was aiming for 2019 or 2020 and then Covid happened,” he said.

Passengers of the first commercial flight to land as Samoa’s borders open up.

“Samoa has the best hospitality and the friendliest people so when the borders reopened I had no second thoughts to come back and here I am.

“This trip is more special with how Samoa welcomed us, I’m glad I’m amongst the first to come otherwise I wouldn’t have witnessed what I witnessed today, so much love and joy shown upon our arrival and I feel so special, thank you Samoa.”

Overseas-based Samoans were also amongst the passengers but tourists dominated the flight.

A series of developments and new processes have been set in place to ensure Samoa’s travel-ready and that the health and safety of locals and international travellers is of priority as more travellers are expected in the coming months.

These vigorous preparations include digital contact tracing app, training and up-skilling for local employees, upgraded travel instructions and bolstered testing capabilities.

Announcing the reopening of Samoa’s borders, Prime Minister Fiame Naomi Mata’afa said the decision was subject to Samoa’s vaccination progress and the removal of restrictions to facilitate quarantine-free travel.

Vaccination rates have remained central in the decision to reopen, with the most recent data showing almost 93% of Samoa’s population aged 18 years and over, has been fully vaccinated.

After two years of pandemic-related challenges, the country is eager to receive travellers who will aid in the island’s economic recovery.

The Fiji Airways (Fj254 APW-NAN) flew back with 96 passengers from Samoa at 5:50pm.