Business Briefs
Business Briefs
Samoa
A newly installed fountain at the Samoan Village Resorts shoots a geyser of sea water 40 feet into the air, welcoming visitors and marking the historic location of the 10-year-old resort. The resort is built where the Samoans, after 300 years of war, defeated the Tongans. The American owned and operated resort built a monument on the site of the last battle that honors both the traditional title Malietoa, which is held by Samoa’s head of state, and the now-friendship of the Tongan and Samoan people. The new jet fountain showcases a viewing fale and the island of Manono.
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American Samoa
Faced with limited promotional dollars, tourism officials hope that their new Web site will help lure more visitors to American Samoa. The Department of Commerce/ Tourism Office launched its website recently, www.amsamoa.com/tourism . Tourism officials are also courting more visits by cruise ships. Between January and March, seven ships disgorged more than 13,000 passengers and crew.
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Despite announcing plans to sell banks serving Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Tahiti, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu and New Caledonia, Bank of Hawaii is expanding its service in American Samoa. American Samoa branch manager Brent Schwenke said the bank is preparing to open a third branch with construction of the one-story building located at the Daniel Inouye Industrial Park to be completed before September.
The government’s Zoning Board has approved the permit for a new garment factory. Governor Tauese Sunia said in recent months that the government will refuse factories that import large numbers of Asian workers following the problems with Daewoosa Samoa. Sam-Ko Samoa Corp. gained approval to operate a plant primarily because it is owned by two American Samoans, Mote Siufanua and Pati Gaopoa, who are financing it themselves, and because the company will hire from the local workforce already trained by previous factories.
Marshall Islands
Aloha Airlines added a second weekly flight to Kwajalein and Majuro in early April, and extended a half-price companion ticket offer for two months to promote the new service, the only non-stop flight from Honolulu to Kwajalein, the U.S. Army-run missile testing range. The flight connects with Aloha’s new service to Orange County, California and Las Vegas.
Tuvalu
The Tuvalu government has bought more than $1 million worth of shares in Air Fiji to guarantee future air service to the tiny South Pacific country that has no national airline. Tuvalu officials told airline representatives that there would be no operational changes or threats to job security of Air Fiji’s 175 employees, Radio Australia reported.
French Polynesia
Hawaiian Airlines announced that it will continue to provide exclusive air services for Renaissance Cruises between Los Angeles and Tahiti for three more years under a new $85 million contract with the cruise line. The service started in August 1999 under a two year agreement. Hawaiian operates a DC-10-30 widebody jet on the Tahiti route. Renaissance is the fifth largest cruise line company in the world, operating trips in Tahiti and the South Pacific.
