Eased entry requirements welcomed

The lifting of Covid-19 travel restrictions towards the end of September has been widely welcomed by visitors.

On 22nd September, the requirement to complete a pre-departure test and show proof of vaccination were removed following the reopening of borders to international travellers on 1st August.

Jennifer Clayburn, a recent visitor from Australia who travelled with her husband and three teenage children, said the move to lift restrictions is a needed relief which will help Samoa appeal to more visitors which in turn would support the recovery of the visitor economy. She acknowledged the added obstacles the requirements posed and the responsibility of travellers to ensure they’re well and fit to travel.

Stephanie and Leslie Wilson from New Zealand echoed the same sentiments and added that the wealth of information that’s available online means it also convenient to plan and book.

Returning visitors, Niruba George and her husband Bradley Scott, from Auckland visited seven years ago and and decided to return to Samoa for their first international trip in three years after having such a great experience. 

The pair learned about the lifting of the restrictions when they went to get their pre-departure tests and welcomed the change, saying it made it much simpler.

A German couple who arrived for the first time after the restrictions were removed shared how happy they were.