Samoa is set to welcome overseas travellers when the borders open in August. Photo / Michael Craig
Samoa is set to welcome overseas travellers when the borders open in August. Photo / Michael Craig
Samoa will open its international borders from August.
In a special announcement, Prime Minister Fiame Naomi Mata'afa said the island nation is set to open its international borders in August and September.
A specific date was not given.
The move is in line with what several other countries in the region, including New Zealand, have done or are planning to do over the next few months as the world adapts to living with Covid-19.
"Cabinet considered the plan for reopening of our international borders," Fiame said last night.
"Critical to this decision are the current rates of our vaccination programme, amendments to quarantine conditions and the opening of borders of our neighbouring countries like Australia and Fiji; as well as New Zealand in October of this year."
Samoa prepares for influx of travellers
Fiame's announcement also included the resumption of international flights from this month for all Samoan citizens travelling in for "various purposes", she said, and those who are contracted to work in Samoa.
The news has brought excitement to Samoans living overseas who have not been able to visit the motherland since the start of the Covid pandemic in early 2020.
Overseas visitors will be welcomed back to Samoa. Photo / Samoa Tourism
The local tourism sector is welcoming the move; which is set to bring a much-wanted income boost to the local economy.
Samoa Tourism Authority's acting chief executive, Dwayne Bentley, said the authority has been working with local operators and national bodies to be ready for when the influx of overseas visitors arrives in the coming months.
"As international travel begins to take shape again, Samoa has been striving to ensure critical components of our travel-ready toolkit are in place," he said.
"All of these efforts ensure we are in a top position to safely open borders to travellers."
It has been almost seven weeks since Covid was detected in the community in Samoa on March 17; sending the country into a lockdown.
The number of people who have contracted the virus in Samoa has reached more than 9500. Just over 1600 people have recovered, the latest figures show.
A total of 19 people have died with Covid in Samoa.
Samoa's Cabinet decided to continue the current alert level 2 lockdown for another two weeks - but with some amendments.
Among the amendments is the allowing of students at the National University of Samoa to attend classes again from early this month.
Children at early childhood, primary and secondary schools will also start to see some normality again as schools gradually reopen as part of a plan by the country's Ministry of Education.
