Visitions continue to flock to Beautiful Samoa

Official figures received from the Samoa Bureau of Statistics shows continued confidence in Samoa as one of the premier  South Pacific destinations of choice with stats setting the tone in what will be a stellar year of visitor arrivals for Samoa.

Figures from January to March 2016 show a 12.1% overall increase in visitor arrivals across all market streams compared  to the same period in 2015. There were 30,049 visitor arrivals, with New Zealand and the USA performing strongly with increases of 31% and 50% respectively.

Holiday figures bucked the trend with a 27% increase despite global warnings regarding the Zika Virus threat, showing
confidence in the measures set in place by the government and properties to protect and safeguard their guests. The  Visiting Friends and Relatives segment also performed extremely well with a 22% increase.

The economy has enjoyed a boost from increased visitor numbers with quarterly earnings recording a 14.73% increase
buoyed by the strengthening of the $USD against the $SAT.

Australia remains steady, with 6,189 visitors clearing customs for the first quarter, a figure similar to that in 2015.
Papali’i Sonja Hunter, CEO of Samoa Tourism Authority says that the figures demonstrate visitor confidence thanks to the  excellent market campaigns conducted in these key source markets.

“The trust that our guests place upon us is a gift that we do not take lightly, and by following through and delivering what we promise: to offer you a safe, healthy and fun holiday experience, we honour that trust which shows in the figures just  released.

“We have everything that the South Pacific can offer in one destination: pristine environment, unique culture, friendly
locals, delicious food and a variety of accommodation types to suit every budget. If these figures are an indication of what  the rest of the year could be like, then it’s a job well done to all,” says Papali’i.