Dear Editor,

“The tourism industry debt went to $2 billion in 2021” - Error reported on Samoa Observer” Monday 13th February 2023.

We write to correct an error from your story published on Monday, 13th February under the title “The tourism industry debt went to $2 billion in 2021”.

Page 34 of the Samoa Tourism Sector Plan 2022/2023 – 2026/2027, that was launched last week Friday, 10^th February, paragraph 2 clearly states……at the end of September 2021, the total debt within the financial sector was SAT 2.08 billion represented by 1.19 billion with the four commercial banks and 890.8 million with the non-commercial banking institutions.  

Further down in the next paragraph on the same page, the percentage of this debt relating to the tourism sector is highlighted.

…..a closer look at the tourism accommodation and restaurant sub-sector indicates a heavily indebted industry with estimated total debt of SAT 407 million with SAT 202 million under commercial banks…and 205 million with non-financial institutions.

The SAT 2.08 billion debt according to the Plan refers to the financial sector, not the tourism sector as quoted by your newspaper.

This mistake could have been avoided if the reporter had referred her questions to the Samoa Tourism Authority’s Media personnel as was advised on the day of the Launch.

Ma le faaaloalo.

Samoa Tourism Authority

Editor's Note: The error in the said article as pointed out by the S.T.A. is acknowledged.