Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — It’s been weeks since Samoa opened its borders after years of the COVID-19 pandemic throwing international travel into turmoil, Samoa’s beautiful shorelines are once again welcoming international travellers after the first direct flights from American Samoa, Fiji, Australia and New Zealand arrived on August first and second.

The Samoa Tourism Authority (STA) extended an invitation to the media across the region to witness the opening of its borders.

Chairman of the Samoa Tourism, Tuiataga Nathan Bucknall said it’s refreshing for the Tourism sector.

“Almost after three years, this month has been so refreshing, the sea of new faces (and old ones), walking around town and in the properties, restaurants, taxis, rental cars, and supermarkets,” said Bucknall.

He said the Samoa Tourism has been working closely with its trade partners in New Zealand, Australia, American Samoa and its other markets to ensure a steady flow of both tourists and visitors friends and relatives (VFR) returning home, as Samoa’s Tourism Industry begins to recover.

“I have personally witnessed emotional family reunions, and awe and wonder on the faces of first time tourists that have managed to pick up a plane ticket.

“We are looking forward to working with our airline partners to increase the number of flights out of New Zealand, Australia, Fiji, Pago and other destinations, so that the numbers of people visiting Samoa will continue to increase year on year.

“The road over the last couple of years, has been a hard one travelled, and lockdowns and restrictions, have impacted individuals and businesses alike.

“We are so pleased that borders are now open, and look forward to some further easing on testing requirements, that will mean Samoa will be an easy choice when deciding where in the South Pacific to travel,” said Tuiataga.

During the first few flights that arrived the first week of August, passengers were greeted by the Minister of Tourism, Toeolesulusulu Cedric Schuster and the Samoa Tourism Authority Board of Directors and Chief Executive Officer, as well as the High Commissioner of Australia HE Emily Luck who was at Faleolo International Airport to welcome the first direct flight from Sydney/Brisbane.

STA says excitement ensued with a fresh ula offerings and welcomes by Miss Samoa and the Samoa Tourism team in traditional wear, the Return to Paradise Resort string guitar ensemble, and multiple cultural performances in the arrival hall and concourse by Samoa Airport Authority and Tasi and Alii’s.

In preparation for the reopening, a series of developments and new processes were put in place to ensure Samoa would be travel ready, and that the health and safety of locals and international travelers remained of utmost priority. Samoa’s robust preparations include the achievement of high vaccination rates, training and up-skilling for local employees, upgraded travel instructions and bolstered testing capabilities. 

Vaccination rates were pivotal in the decision to reopen, with the most recent data showing almost 93% of Samoa’s eligible population, aged 5 years and over, has been fully vaccinated.

Big ticket attractions and much-loved natural treasures are primed and ready to receive the influx of travelers over the coming months, including the famous To Sua Ocean Trench, Piula Cave Pool, Afu Aau Waterfalls, Lalomanu Beach, and Samoan Cultural Village. 

STA’s Chief Executive Officer, Pativaine Peteaia-Tevita told the Samoa Media that it’s just the beginning of their road to recovery.

“Our tourism sector have been suffering for so long and this Monday and Tuesday [Aug 1-2) when our borders opened, is the beginning of their road to recovery.

“We’re hopeful and praying that this recovery will be swift for STA.

“With the arrival of the first flight, what we felt was more of excitement and we were very happy.

“Our minister was there, dancing away which is something we hardly see. I don’t know if parliamentarians overseas do that but our minister and board of directors all came to the airport and they were dancing and smiling and they were even talking to babies and that goes to show the real feeling that we had on that day and we still have that feeling.”

Adding that the Samoa government is in final negotiations with other airlines that will be servicing the routes from Samoa's key source markets as well as secondary markets. The CEO said the Government is looking into it through its final negotiations with potential airlines.

“American Samoa is one of our primary markets pre-COVID because of its US Dollars and we’re hoping to continue those flight services between the two Samoas to revive the economy that’s been affected by the pandemic,” she said.

She added that the industry and Samoa is hoping that the current partnering airlines will be providing services from America as well.

“The American market is one of Samoa’s important markets pre-COVID and Fiji Airways was the only flight that was servicing this market between Samoa and Hawaii,” she said.

“We’re hoping that Fiji Airways continues that service or even any other airline that is currently in partnership with Samoa, to provide that service not just to Hawaii but directly to Las Vegas as well.”

“It’s the only way that we could think of right now that could help us grow this market further.”

Quantas was recently granted a license to fly to Samoa from Sidney and Brisbane (Australia).

Samoa is known for its warm, friendly culture, and breathtaking sceneries and it’s less than an hour from Pago Pago, four hours from Auckland and about five hours from Sydney and Brisbane.

Furthermore, STA says Samoa has a huge range of interesting sites and attractions, which allow visitors to experience the country’s rich and ancient culture, learn about its fascinating history and explore some of its natural wonders.

The Samoa Cultural Village is a great place to start your holiday in Samoa because you can discover the nation’s 3,000-year-old culture and traditions in a fun and interactive way.

“For history buffs, the Robert Louis Stevenson Museum (RLS Museum) is the place where you can learn all about the life of the famous Scottish poet and author who fell in love with Samoa.

Even if you’re not a museum or history buff, you still might be interested to spend some time relaxing on the ‘Return to Paradise Beach’. Made famous by the 1952 movie classic, Return to Paradise, you’ll soon understand why these beautiful lagoons, sparkling white sandy beaches and colorful coral reefs were worthy of cinema screens.

“While holiday swimming usually takes place in the sea, you could journey inland to discover a myriad of inland swimming holes where the waters are crystal clear, and the rainforest offers cool respite from the sun.”

According to STA on the Main South Coast Road of Upolu, you will find the iconic To-Sua Ocean Trench. Looking like a classic tropical paradise postcard, the waters of this trench are a deep, glistening sapphire blue and are surrounded by tall rocks decorated with ferns and other emerald-green plants.

Piula (Fatumea) Cave Pool is a spring-fed freshwater pool and cave full of colourful fish that originate from an old lava tube. One of Samoa’s hidden gems, you’ll find it behind the historic Methodist Church Chapel on Samoa’s main island of Upolu. Consisting of two blue-green fish-filled grottos, the brave can swim between them via a three-metre underwater passage.

Samoa’s mountainous landscape has created many beautiful and spectacular waterfalls that are fed each year during the wet season.

Upolu’s south coast has the country’s best collection of spectacular falls that are easily accessible to visitors. Some, like Togitogi Falls, have swimming holes and changing rooms and toilets. Others, like the 100m high  Papapapai Tai Falls are strictly for looking only. Fuipisia Falls at the east end of Upolu offers a bush walk, a pool at the top of the waterfall to bathe in, and a spectacular 55m drop of water.

On Savai’i, the southern coast has the most waterfalls. One of the most popular is the Afu Aau Falls which emerges from lush green rainforest and plunges into a deep pool which is safe for swimming. At the Mu Pagoa Falls, a shallower pool formed where Samoa’s largest river flows to the sea, and is used by visitors and locals alike.

Samoa's archipelago was created due to volcanic activity and today, most of its peaks are dormant or extinct volcanoes. Samoa’s volcanic activity has left behind many fascinating landforms, particularly on Savai’i, which has huge lava tubes and spectacularly rugged coastlines of black volcanic rock to explore.

The most recent eruption occurred from Mt Matavanu, which is located within a string of volcanic craters leading to the highest peak in Samoa, Mt Silisili. The eruption occurred between 1905 to 1911 and led to the evacuation of entire villages which were destroyed. People were able to safely escape to the island of Upolu thanks to the slow-moving lava, but remnants of a church remain at the Saleaula Lava Fields as a reminder of the force of the flow.

Upolu has several volcanic peaks too, notably the water-filled bush-clad crater, Lake Lanoto’o. The last three eruptions on this island are estimated to be a few hundred to one-thousand years ago.

Samoa has so much to offer for holiday getaways.