The Samoa Tourism Exchange 2026 kicked off at the Taumeasina Island Resort in Apia last night, and there was one contingent firmly dominating the rest: Australia.
A total of 39 Australians attended the event this year, a huge increase on the 13 who attended last year. The Aussie delegation dwarfed the English, US and Chinese delegations – at four to five people each – and largely overshadowed the New Zealand contingent, which had around 17 attendees.
Travel trade representatives from the likes of Flight Centre, Helloworld, House of Travel, WebBeds and more were among those gathered for the event.
The opening reception set a vibrant tone for the exchange, with delegates welcomed by Samoa’s Minister of Tourism, Hon. Fata Ryan Schuster, before being treated to a mouthwatering buffet of Samoan delicacies, traditional fire performances, and a kava ceremony. Miss Samoa also welcomed attendees on behalf of the host nation, and each delegation was invited on stage in a celebration of the international gathering.
Unsurprisingly, given the sheer numbers, both of gold sponsor Fiji Airways’ prize tickets – return flights to anywhere on their network – went to Australian winners. Qantas and Air New Zealand also sponsored the event.
B2B meetings get underway today at the FIFA Complex at Apia Park, running across 30 April and 1 May.
While New Zealand continues to be Samoa’s biggest source market, there has been an uptick in interest from the Australian travel trade, Samoa Tourism’s Australia-based sales and marketing representative Aniva Tuiletufuga-Nickel told Travel Weekly.
The exchange includes pre- and post-STE famils designed to give agents on-the-ground experience of Samoa’s product.
The post-famil itinerary takes delegates across Upolu and Savaii, with highlights including a visit to the iconic To Sua Ocean Trench, a day trip to Namu’a Island, and a full cultural immersion in Asaga Village on Savaii – featuring an ava ceremony, umu demonstration, and traditional Samoan entertainment.
Property inspections are also on the agenda, with agents visiting a string of resorts including Saletoga Sands, Lava Hotel, Amoa, Samoa Beach Resort, Survivor Resort, Tanoa Hotel and Le Vasa Resort.
