Cruise Tourism Workshop in Samoa

Cruise Tourism Workshop in Samoa

The South Pacific Tourism Organisation (SPTO,) in collaboration with the Samoa Tourism Authority (STA), is hosting the Pacific Port Preparedness Workshop in Apia, Samoa on the 23 & 24 July 2013, funded through the European Union's Pacific Regional Tourism Capacity Building Programme (PRTCBP).

The twoday workshop sessions will be held at the Insel Fehmarn Hotel and representatives from Samoa’s cruise shipping sector (government and private sector) will participate in the programme. With the overall objective of contributing to the sustainable growth and development of the cruise shipping sector in the Pacific region, these workshops aim to guide local service providers on ways to enhance onshore cruise visitor experiences.

Samoa is a postcard of natural beauty consisting of ten islands, each offering very distinct and different environments to explore and enjoy. Further enhanced by a strong Fa’a Samoan cultural heritage and mix of Western influences, Samoa is an ideal Cruise destination for visiting international cruise ships.

Samoa’s growing Cruise tourism segment will receive further boost with the implementation of this Port Preparedness Workshop to assist local stakeholders improve and enhance these key attributes, and their products and services for Cruise passengers.

Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) industry outlooks forecasts that 20.9 million passengers will take a cruise in 2013 – an increase of 3.3 per cent on passenger numbers in 2012. The worldwide cruise market for 2013 is estimated to be worth US$36 billion – up 4.8 per cent on last year. Total worldwide cruise capacity in 2013 will be around 439,000 passengers an increase of three per cent on 2012.

It is against this background and in an effort to implement the South Pacific Cruise Shipping Strategy and onshore cruise product development to the region that SPTO will be organising this event in Samoa.

STA Chief Executive Officer, Sonja Hunter, said, “The 2 day workshop which will be divided into two sessions, will target relevant government departments and authorities including tourism, infrastructure, immigration, transports, national heritage and environment, security and local port authorities; and private sector partners specifically port agencies, tour operators, port security personnel, passenger transport operators including taxi drivers and retailers”.

SPTO Chief Executive Officer, Ilisoni Vuidreketi says that "cruise shipping is a promising segment for tourism in the region and the SPTO is committed to developing and delivering cruise tourism initiatives that are focused on assisting South Pacific cruise destinations to increase their passenger numbers, passenger spend ashore and improve the awareness amongst local cruise stakeholders of this segments potential" Similar workshops have been carried out in Vanuatu and will also be carried out in Tonga, the Cook Islands and Fiji. Sydney based company Nautic Consulting will be delivering these workshops.

ENDS

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