Limited air service between Honolulu and Pago Pago, available and well maintained public restrooms, development of the cable car, trail hike routes, historical sites are some of the suggestion from the private sector on ways to develop and improve tourism in the territory.

The recommendations were made Wednesday during a meeting hosted by the Chamber of Commerce and the Governor’s Economic Advisory Council for the RCA Consultant, the off-island group contracted to come up with the American Samoa Tourism Master Plan to develop this industry.

RCA member, Cate Thero of Resort Consulting Associates, told the private sector meeting that they were here to gather information, obtain data, conduct site visits— including Manu’a Island— carry out research and mapping of the elements involved in getting the plan drawn up for American Samoa.

She said there is not much they could share with the private sector except that among the issues covered in their works are economic development, land use, transportation and cultural activities. She said they also are talking to the airline industry.

Thero also highlighted the three specific areas of development opportunities for their focus, which are development opportunities for the Rainmaker Hotel, eco-tourism for Manu’a and the Malaloa marina development.

Other RCA officials attending the meeting were Mark Kiner of Kiner Design Group, and Bill Crump of Studio 81.

The group was asked by one of the business representatives to highlight some of the public comments they had received so far during their various public meetings, to which Thero said the issues vary from immigration issues dealing with visitors coming to the territory to the government competing with the private sector.

“We’ve heard a ton of challenges,” said Thero, adding that another concern was the high landing fees in American Samoa and the need to have a properly trained labor force to service the tourism industry.

Crump said that during their meetings in Manu’a, residents of Ofu talked about the development of snorkeling opportunities but the frequency of air service was a problem. However, Crump said he has heard of a new boat for the Island group and hopefully that will address transportation to the Manu’a Islands. (He did not identify what new boat he was talking about.)

Thero said they met early this week with Gov. Togiola Tulafono, who wanted to see first a long term tourism plan before considering additional funds going into tourism development. She was responding to the private sector’s concerns over the small budget allocated for tourism in the territory through the American Samoa Visitor’s Bureau as well as the overall lack of ASG funds to tourism.

OF INTEREST

Chamber president David Robinson, who is also co-chair of the Governor’s Economic Advisory Council, informed RCA that “people here had seen too many plans...that are filed away neatly” without any action taken ...and ASG has “never done the job properly” in tourism development.

Local businessman Mapu Jamias said he has seen so many plans over the past years but nothing much has come out of it, and pointed out that one problem faced by the territory is limited air service between Honolulu and Pago Pago with Hawaiian Airlines monopolizing this route.

In response, Thero says “we recognized...as a major issue” air transportation especially for remote locations. She noted again that the group will be talking to the airlines, including airlines serving the inter Samoa route, which also bring in visitors not only from Samoa but other Pacific countries as well as those flying from the U.S. west coast to Apia.

Chamber board member Leland Slater cited a number of issues that need to be addressed, such as the lack of public restrooms throughout the territory for tourists to use and the stray dog problem that needs to resolved.

He said the plan to redevelop the Malaloa marina is an excellent one not only for yachts coming into the territory but a place for people to walk around. He also suggested looking at improving hiking trails as well as identifying waterfalls that could also be used as site tours, and this goes hand-in-hand with improving trails leading to the waterfalls.

Slater said there is also a great tourist attraction if the tramway is redeveloped to which Thero said they have visited the site and it’s part of the plan to see if it’s profitable, taking into account the number of visitors and the expenses involved in maintaining such an operation.

She suggested the private sector take over this project, adding that they have spoken to the National Park Service, who informed them that managing and operating the tramway is not in their model.

But businessman Tom Drabble pointed out that the tramway was a big advertisement for American Samoa attracting tourists in the past and ASG should use some of that money they plan to purchase a cannery for this project.

Businessman Tony Langkilde said, “Whatever we propose...the bottom line is capitalization.” He suggested the government allocate half-a-million or at least a $1 million annually from the Capital Improvement Project as ASG’s commitment to the development of small businesses in the tourism industry.

There was a call from several business members for the government to “get out of the way” and have the private sector work on getting the tourism development moving forward.

However, the governor’s advisor Dr. Oreta Togafau, a co-chair of the Economic Advisory Council, told the group that ASG does want to develop tourism but there has not been a strong response from the Chamber or the private sector, until now, with the Chamber taking the lead role on a lot of issues.

She said this public-private partnership should be stronger with private sectors participation and called for both sides to work together.

Also raised as an important selling point for American Samoa is the Samoan culture, to which RCA fully agreed, and this is an issue they will consider carefully— especially not to disrespect Samoan traditions such as swimming on Sundays at certain beaches.

After more meetings this morning, the RCA group returns  this afternoon to the mainland via Apia.