STA Hosts Industry Talanoa to Showcase Tourism Offerings

• Figures released by STA show that the number of visitors for August through to December 2022 sits around 47,000 which is over half of the number of pre-pandemic visitors recorded in 2019.

APIA, SAMOA – 10 MARCH 2023: The Samoa Tourism Authority (STA) hosted a series of industry sessions to help enhance Samoa’s tourism products and services.  Hosted in Apia and Savai’i over two days, the Industry Talanoa Meets were initiated by STA and gathered local tourism industry members to collaborate on issues covering tourism product offerings, marketing and promotion, research and statistics, and policies for industry development.

STA Minister, Toeolesulusulu Cedric Salesa Schuster shared his thoughts during the meeting, emphasising the need for tourism industry operators and STA to work together to increase the number of visitors to Samoa following the global COVID-19 pandemic*.

“It is Samoa Tourism Authority’s goal to better promote and entice potential visitors to choose Samoa over other Pacific Island countries as a place to visit, relax and recuperate from the rigours of life,” Cedric Salesa Schuster said.

“Samoa is the destination for travellers wanting to learn about a different culture and way of life, enjoy the beauty of nature in its pristine and unspoilt way, celebrate special occasions and events, and to reconnect with their aiga.”

The industry sessions covered:

• Tourism Product – features of Samoa as an attractive tourism destination
• Tourism Marketing & Promotion – How we want visitors to imagine Samoa
• Research & Statistics – Understanding numbers is crucial to good business making decisions
• Policies for Tourism Development – Actions and behaviours needed to fulfil our goals as a sound tourism destination
• Group Presentations – Open discussions on what’s next

STA will collate all feedback provided at the sessions on how best to improve Samoa’s tourism offering and position Samoa as a preferred travel destination, and present to the industry during its final Industry Talanoa Meet on Tuesday 14th March at Hotel Tanoa Tusitala in Apia.

According to STA, the visitor numbers to Samoa have yet to reach pre-pandemic levels although recent tourism data revealed a steady flow of travelers since Samoa reopened its borders in August 2022. Figures released by STA show that the number of visitors for August through to December 2022 sits around 47,000 which is over half of the number of pre-pandemic visitors recorded in 2019.