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Australia Samoa Newspaper
02 May 2016
2016 is the year to ‘Visit Samoa’
‘VISIT SAMOA 2016’ CAMPAIGN: Prime Minister, Hon. Tuilaepa Lupesoliai Fatialofa Dr. Sailele Malielegaoi launches the ‘Visit Samoa 2016’ campaign and the ‘Samoa Tourism
Excellence Awards’ which will be held on January 7 2017.
V
isit Samoa 2016 has been launched
as part of a special event to also welcome the new year.
Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi
and the Samoa Tourism Authority hosted
the event at the SIGFA Fishing House at the
Samoa Ports Marina in the beginning of the
year.
Susuga Tuilaepa, in his keynote address,
said that the tourism industry’s impact on
the economic and social development of Samoa is significant.
“Tonight is about thanking and celebrating
the tourism industry and stakeholders, including our own development partners for
the work and progress in the development
of sustainable tourism,” he said.
“Tourism is the mainstay of our economy
and we have selected to continue pioneering sustainable tourism, as we have stated
in our tourism sector plan and vision that
by 2019 Samoa will have a growing tourism
sector.
“Today, as we lift our glasses to toast the
New Year and the beginning of the Visit Samoa Year 2016, we recall our commitment
to develop our country into a place that we
are proud to call home, and a place that
tourists and citizens can enjoy for work or
holiday, in peace and harmony.”
The Prime Minister also shared his gratitude
for national efforts towards the development of tourism.
“It is also on this occasion that we thank the
whole of Samoa watching this broadcast, for
the endless support that our country had attended, to the hosting of international conferences and events, and of which international reputable guests had thanked Samoa
for the efficient coordination of services,”
said Tuilaepa.
“These are the working characteristics of
our country that we pray will continue in the
cohesive coordination of tourism development activities on our shores.
“This is our country that tourists continue to
call ‘Beautiful Samoa’.
“Let us continue to build a Samoa that
makes all Samoans proud to call home, and
a place that our people abroad can proudly
belong, and that our development partners
will want to affiliate with, and in our humility thank God for the blessings upon Samoa
and for the nations and organizations who
continue to help us through financial and
technical support.”
The Prime Minister said the Visit Samoa
2016 is a celebration of Samoa becoming
a Five Star destination with the opening of
the Sheraton Samoa Aggie Grey’s Hotel and
Bungalows, and the Taumeasina Island Resort.
Tuilaepa said it also gives rise to the introduction of the first ever survey for the inaugural Samoa Tourism Excellence Awards, for
tourism businesses which will be measure
and judged by visiting tourists and the Tourism Standards Committee.
PM opens successful Tourism Forum 2016
ACHIEVING EXCELLENCE: Prime Minister, Hon. Tuilaepa Lupesoliai Fatialofa Dr. Sailele Malielegaoi with participants at the Samoa Tourism Forum at the Samoa Conference Center
at the TATTE Building in Apia.
P
rime Minister Tuilaepa Sa’ilele Malielegaoi launched the Samoa Annual Tourism Forum at the Samoa Conference
Center at the TATTE Building on Wednesday,
9th March 2016.
Designed to give tourism business operators
and the wider tourism sector a clear understanding of some of the key issues which
shape Samoa’s tourism development, the
two-day forum was well attended.
“Tourism is important for our economic structure, preservation of our prestige culture and
the sustaining of our pristine environment,”
Tuilaepa said.
“We are determined to position our destination at a level of excellence to ensure that we
reach international standards.”
Tuilaepa said there are exciting developments
in the pipeline for the industry this year, in
terms of properties. “We have made progress
through the establishment of three first class
accommodations such as the Sheraton Aggie
Grey’s Resort; the soon to be opened Sheraton Aggie Greys Hotel and Bungalows; and
the Taumeasina Island Resort which will be
opening in the next couple of months.
“Samoa is planning on being a tourism destination with international key marginal segments that also include sports tourism and
with a creative entertainment arts ulterior.”
Tuilaepa, who is also the Minister of Tourism,
said the Forum is important for the sector.
“Our tourism goal is ‘Achieving Excellence’
and is a theme that applies to all of us who
wish to ensure greater outcomes,” he said.
“I wish to see us all working together to ensure an improved quality of life for all. The
two-day conference will allow the tourism
sector to receive the best advice that will
prompt the achievement of excellence and
depths.
“This will also help to achieve the vision of the
Samoa tourism sector plan 2014 to 2019 in
which I quote that ‘by 2019 Samoa will have
a growing tourism sector which in 3
years our business and people will be recog-
nized as the leading pacific destination for
sustainable tourism’.”