This year's 2022 Palolo Festival (Palolofest) currently underway in Savai'i is keeping the organisers busy at the Savai'i Tourism Association as they up the ante in awareness in a bid to increase visitors to the big island.

Savai'i Tourism Association officer, Neil Tiatia, who runs the office for the association which comprise tourism operators told the Samoa Observer that the association's Board has been kept busy by the festival.

"I'm really busy with the media stuff as there's a lot to do," he said, and pointed to a social media post that went viral and got shared over 400 times. "These palolo photos has been shared over 400 times."  

Asked what were the objectives of the Palolo Festival, Mr. Tiatia said it was to attract people to Savai'i and is part of a marketing strategy.

"It's an initiative that is supposed to entice people to come to Savaii," he added. "What's special is that we are including the authentic cultural heritage of palolo catching.

"We are holding competitions on the best palolo fest song, so different bands on the island will be competing on that.

"We are also holding an event on stories, cultural stories relating to the palolo season." 

Mr. Tiatia added that the seasonal event will be closed at the end of the month by the Minister of Tourism, Toeolesulusulu Cedric Schuster.

Asked what the next month holds for the association, he said a game fishing tournament is next on the cards and will be held in partnership with the Samoa International Game Fishing Association or SIGFA.

"There's a plan to have a game fishing tournament with the SIGFA as partners," he said. "And December will bring another activity. We want Savai'i to have activities to bring people over."

It is understood the Palolo Festival starts Monday 17 October 2022 and ends at the end of this month.