Apia, SAMOA — Charlotte Chan Mow Brunt, the newly appointed Samoa Hotels and Hospitality Association president is speaking out about the sector's challenges and the need to work inclusively to get the industry back on its feet.

The SHHA — an independent tourism association works alongside the Samoa Tourism Authority.

In an interview with the Samoa Observer on Monday morning at her Orator hotel, Ms. Brunt, a long-time businesswoman and hotel operator with her husband Leiataualesa Jerry Brunt, said she has always believed that tourism is about connections. 

"Talofa begins with us," she said. "We bring the beauty of Samoa back, and introduce our tourists to all the unique things we have," she said. 

Ms. Brunt said that connectivity is an integral part of the whole success model that she and the council of hotels and hospitality entities are focusing on. 

"We now have an inclusive membership, where hotels and other accommodations are joined by the taxi, tour operators, inbound operators, florists, and we still call for more people and businesses to become members because tourism is all our business," she said. 

"I personally think of the beach fales on the south coast and the resorts and beach fales in Savai'i, where our other brothers and sisters are based trying to make tourism work.

"It has been so hard on everyone but we can't be tired though we really are. We just need to look up and move forward. I believe we need to stop the blame game and forge forward with creative ideas."

The industry now has some ideas to create activities, to not only enhance what already exists like the night market but also to take it further, said the local businesswoman.

She then pointed to locations that need promotion as well as attention, "so that everyone has a piece of the pie."

"We can't just promote what is in Apia, because that's not wholly promoting what Samoa holds for tourists," Ms. Brunt said. 

"Weddings, for example, are cheaper here than in other islands, but we need to create ways to include everyone and we have ideas for that which we will be sharing with our members."

The new association president also said that there is no way that she can exclude the one focal need for the industry members right now, and that is to fix up the idle hotels and accommodations, restaurants, and other services to prepare for a more robust tourism sector. 

"Our partners include our Government, the Samoa Tourism Authority, Samoa National Tripartite Forum, Samoa Qualification Authority, the National University of Samoa, and others," she said.

"Networking and being present in the discussions amongst our partners is a vital part of our rebooting."

Ms. Brunt said that the main area in which the SHHA needs help is difficult to avoid.

"We have to state the facts. We can't just tip-toe around it. A lot of the resorts, hotels, and beach fales are still trying to renovate and be in full operational mode," she said.

"How can we cater for the upcoming CHOGHM and other meetings with that kind of reality? CHOGHM is the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, which will be held in Apia in 2024.

"The loans from the Development Bank of Samoa for many of us are inaccessible, so I don't see what we can do to change it.

"Needless to say, a fully operational hotel, resort, beach fale, and other services for hospitality will ensure that we are selling Samoa with its own uniqueness.

"And then, I can confidently say that we will reap what we used to before Covid which was SAT$500 million or more a year."

Ms. Brunt said that tourism is everyone's business in Samoa — adding, "we can't look at the government and wonder what they can do." 

"We need to be creative and if we can't get their help, well, there are ways to work with that or around it," she said.

"We all have the privilege of being Samoan. We also have the right to own our griefs and our downtrodden pathways. But we can rise to the challenge and move with each other, till we reach the heights of our goals, by helping our communities."