A total of 11,411 travellers visited Samoa in February of this year, which according to the Samoa Bureau of Statistics (SBS) is a decrease of 34.4 percent over the previous month of January, 2023.
However, the latest data for the total number of arrivals in February this year saw an increase of 0.5 percent when compared to February of 2020 before COVID-19 reached Samoa’s shores in March of 2020.
Of the total number of arrivals, 94.6 percent traveled by air while 5.4 percent by sea.
According to SBS, of the total number of arrivals for the month of February, 7,678 were visitors, 3,012 were Samoans who were in the country to visit families and friends while 2,324 came for holiday and vacation and a total of 486 were in the country for businesses and conferences.
The latest data also shows that the majority of the visitors came from New Zealand making 40.2 per cent of the total number of visitors to Samoa in February.
Second to that was Australia with a total of 23.2 percent then American Samoa with 8.6 per cent and the United States with 9.2 per cent of the total number of visitors.
The latest report from SBS also shows that Air New Zealand carried the highest share of passengers to Samoa with a 36.6 percent share (4,175 passengers) followed by Fiji Airways with a 27.3 percent share (3,115 passengers).
Samoa Airways brought in 10.7 percent (891 passengers) of total arrivals while Talofa Airways and Qantas recorded shares of 8.1 percent (922) and 7.8 percent (891) respectively.
The data also showed that the majority of those who visited Samoa in February stayed for 8-14 days or 15-30 days in the country.
More than half of those who visited Samoa stayed in private accomodations or with families and relatives while in Samoa.
Only 29.9 percent of those who visited Samoa in February stayed in a hotel or motel during their stay.
The sourced documents for the compilation of International Arrival Statistics are the immigration arrival and departure cards form. These forms are completed by all incoming and outgoing travelers at the two local points of entry at Faleolo International Airport and Apia Wharf Matautu Port.
