The Samoa Tourism Authority (STA) says they have been assured by the Aleipata Tourism Alliance on the possibility of a standard charge for beach fale usage.

The STA statement comes after videos of a disagreement between tourists and fale operators have gone viral.

In a statement, the STA said that they wish to assure visitors who are already in the country and those who are planning their itineraries as well as the public at large, that beach fale operators at Lalomanu under the umbrella of the Aleipata Tourism Alliance (ATA) and with the support of STA, are in the process of implementing response measures, following recent social media videos which show visitors disputing fees for the purpose of accessing the beach and conducting content production.

“While STA will not go into detail about the series of events that transpired based on operator accounts, the Authority has ascertained from the Aleipata Tourism Alliance that it will call a meeting of its members to discuss what happened with the goal of collectively rolling out measures, including standard-fees among members and signage, to help protect beach fale operators, ensure  visitors are informed and to help protect the image of beautiful Samoa as a visitor destination,” the statement said.

“Following the reopening of Samoa’s borders to international travellers on August 1st, the tourism industry has benefited directly from the gradual increase in visitor arrivals in alignment with the growth in air connectivity and international marketing efforts by STA and tourism business operators. These benefits have flowed onto other industries and communities that make up the tourism supply-chain.”