Samoa has been busy ramping up its preparation for travellers to return in anticipation of borders opening
Apia, SAMOA — After successful travel bubbles launched between Australia and New Zealand in April, and the Cook Islands and New Zealand last month, Samoa predicts it will be joining the countries in the second half of 2021.
The Samoa Tourism Authority (STA) has been working hard behind the scenes with local operators and national bodies, as well as with the Australian government, to ensure the Pacific nation is ready when a travel bubble is announced.
A series of developments and new processes have been actioned to ensure Samoa is travel-ready, prioritising the health and safety of local Samoan’s, and international travellers alike.
The framework includes a national vaccination rollout, Samoa’s own version of the digital tracing app, upskilling for local employees, upgraded travel instructions, and bolstered testing capabilities.
STA CEO, Faamatuainu Lenata’i Suifua, said they have been working hard to ensure the nation is prepared for when borders open with the appropriate neighbouring countries.
“All of these efforts go towards ensuring we are in a position to open borders to our neighbours safely. We look forward to welcoming vaccinated visitors with open arms, when the time is right for all countries involved.”
As one of the original socially distant destinations, Samoa has recorded zero COVID-19 cases and locals will be consistently working to make sure this remains the case.
Samoa’s national COVID-19 vaccination programme is currently underway throughout the country, with 45,000 locals have received their first dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine as of 21 June, just over 33 per cent of the eligible population.