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ASVB gets 500k budget boost in FY ’14

The American Samoa Visitor’s Bureau is getting a boost of $500K in government funding for fiscal year 2014. The increase in funds is in line with Gov. Lolo Matalasi Moliga’s goal to develop the tourism sector as an economic benefit for the territory.

 

According to the budget document, the total budget for the Visitor's Bureau stands at $900,000 — an increase of $500,000 from the current FY 2013. The bureau’s budget was only $295,000 in FY 2012.

 

Visitor’s Bureau Executive Director David Vaeafe says the governor has seen that tourism is another key sector in driving economic development in American Samoa and that is why he is focused on making improvements to it.

 

“This increase in funding, which is greatly appreciated, allows us to do more in our work by, among other things, increasing our overseas marketing and promotion,” Vaeafe told Samoa News. “The increase also allows us to hire more staff, including a key area dealing with finances."

 

The budget document shows the Visitor’s Bureau currently has three approved positions for FY 2013 and seven more will be hired in the new fiscal year.

 

Personnel costs for FY 2014 are shown to amount to $259,000, which is the highest expenditure, followed by $213,500 in materials and supplies, and $198,500 under the “All Others” budget item.

 

Among the itemized expenses is $173,000 for “international and travel trade advertising,” $97,000 in travel budget, $30,000 for office rent, and $50,000 for “international travel shows and promotion.” There is also $35,000 set aside for “sponsorship of local on-island events.” (The Visitor’s Bureau has been a sponsor of several local events throughout the year.)

 

While the agency is getting a $500,000 budget boost, Samoa News pointed out to Vaeafe that this is nothing compared to other tourism entities throughout the region such as Samoa and Fiji — whose budgets are in the millions of dollars.

 

He replied, “Although our budget is small compared to other island nations, it is still a huge increase to date. Our first year, the budget allocation was around $200,000 when we first started out about four years ago,” and noted that Samoa has a tourism budget of about $15 million Tala, or around $7 million USD.

 

“Hopefully in the coming years we will continue to get an increase from the government,” said Vaeafe. “It’s all about taking one step at a time to improve our tourism sector, make sure we do it right the first time around and not take short cuts that will later hurt our efforts."

 

The executive director of the VB also pointed out, the budget is also a commitment by the governor and the government to support the private sector in American Samoa and overseas by working closely with “our partners... to grow this sector of the economy".

 

For example, Vaeafe said the Visitor’s Bureau’s partnership with Air New Zealand Holidays — the wholesale tour sector of Air New Zealand — in marketing American Samoa is now paying off.

 

“We’ve had bookings here and there over the months, with individual leisure travelers but we are now getting our first group booking of 26 people visiting the territory next month,” he said. “And this is made possible by our marketing partner Air New Zealand Holidays.”

 

Vaeafe concluded, “So increasing funding for our offshore marketing brings new tourists and that means more money spent in our economy.”