STA Raises Youth Awareness on the Importance of Tourism to Samoa

September 30, 2023

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Translated from Ganasavea Manuia Tafeaga’s FaaSamoa by Nicole Palamo-Wilson. The Samoa Tourism Authority hosted celebrations for World Tourism Day at the Samoa Cultural Village earlier this week. The initiative aimed to target the next generation by raising awareness of the importance of tourism to Samoa.

World Tourism Day celebrations at the STA fale, Apia Samoa, Sept 2023.

Year 8 students and their teachers from ten high schools took part in the day’s activities in Apia.

“That is our focus and investment this year,” said STA Chief Executive Officer, Pativaine Petaia Tevita. “For our children to know more about this important sector, and to understand how much tourism can help them and their families in the future.”

Students spent the day learning about the tourism industry, and its trickle-down benefits to a wide range of support sectors including transport through taxis and rentals, to handicrafts, to farmers and vegetable growers, to small shops, and a wide range of other service providers.

“Tourism generates a third of Samoa gross domestic product (gdp) and has a trickle down effect on a variety of businesses. It creates a wide range of employment opportunities and at the global scale, tourism is seen as one of the world’s largest and fastest growing industries,” said the Samoa Tourism Authority CEO.

“Tourism is an option for students to venture into as an area of study..If a child knows how important tourism is and the many benefits Samoa can achieve through tourism, then we hope this will entice them to go into further studies of tourism and be future ambassadors for Samoa,” adds Pativaine.

The STA Research and Statistics Division reports the positive effects of tourism includes foreign exchange earnings, employment opportunities, stimulation of infrastructure investment, and a revival of Samoan culture, and more.

Samoa’s celebrations of World Tourism Day was well attended at the STA fale by Minister of Education Hon Seu’ula Ioane Tuuau, Associate Minister of Tourism Fuimaono Faleomavaega Dickie Tafua, Samoa’s development partners and members of the STA Board.