Business Briefs
Business Briefs
Tonga
The Kingdom of Tonga has gone against the post-September 11 trend in Pacific Island tourism by recording an increase in visitor arrivals for the first quarter of 2002. In the first three months of this year, almost 7,000 people visited Tonga, an increase of 16 percent over the same period last year. The majority of visitors (2,449) came from New Zealand, an increase of 68 per cent over the previous year’s first quarter figures. However, the U.S. and Australia markets were also stronger, recording increases of 23 percent and 21 percent respectively.
—ND
The first TagaKids Triathlon was held in Saipan in late May with 45 young people from Saipan, Guam, Japan and Hong Kong ranging in age from six to 15 participating in the biking, running and swimming competition. The event, held in conjunction with the New Tagaman Triathlon, that had 109 competitors from Asia, Guam and Saipan, was sponsored by Continental, Pacific Islands Club Hotel and the Marianas Visitors Authority. Japanese youth won the 6-9 and 10-12 age groups, while a Hong Kong youth won the 13-15 age bracket.
—GJ
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American Sämoa-based Sämoa Air has increased weekly flights between Pago Pago and Sämoa’s island of Savai‘i from three to five flights a week for the summer months because of heavy demand. Sämoa Air has also increased flights to the territory’s Manu‘a Island group.
—FS
Business leaders are hopeful that investor interest in local hotel development will materialize and help to sustain the construction sector. Much publicity has been attracted by a proposed resort at the man-made island at Taumeasina, located one mile from Apia, and now investors are looking at Faleolo, the site of the international airport, as a possible hotel site. While wary of the history of investors backing off after raising everyone’s hopes, Sämoa Chamber of Commerce President Norman Wetzell said, “Everybody’s keeping their fingers crossed that at least one of these foreign investors will actually carry out the work they said they would do.” Aside from the possibility of hotel development, the local construction industry is keeping busy with the renovation and development of government primary schools, a project being funded by loans from the Asian Development Bank.
—FS
The Noumea, New Caledonia-based Sofrana Unilines Shipping Company is offering scholarships for students at the Sämoa Maritime Training Center, and company officials say they are interested to hire graduates. Five MTC graduates found jobs in April on a cruise ship owned by Mediterranean Shipping Company, which already employs 11 other seafarers from Sämoa.
—FS
