13 May 2016

American Samoa plays catchup in Pacific tourism

4:20 pm on 13 May 2016

American Samoa's tourism chief says a partnership between the private and public sectors is needed to grow the territory's tourism industry.

David Vaeafe, the executive director of American Samoa's Visitors' Bureau. American Samoa tourism

David Vaeafe, the executive director of American Samoa's Visitors' Bureau. Photo: RNZI / Fili Sagapolutele

David Vaeafe, the executive director of the Visitors' Bureau, said the South Pacific is the world's last undiscovered tourism region, with just 1.8 million international visitors recorded in 2014 for the 16 Pacific island countries and territories.

He said American Samoa was the last nation in the South Pacific to embrace tourism and the local industry was very small, with less than 20 hotels, just over 200 rooms, 180 rental cars, a little over a dozen restaurants and no local airline.

In 2014, just over 21,000 tourists flew into American Samoa though there were tens of thousands of cruise ship visitors.

Mr Vaeafe said to make the industry grow a private and public sector partnership is vital.

"The private sector need to made the changes to keep up with the industry, because being the last country to embrace tourism we are starting from the back of the running field, trying to catch up to all the others," he said.