January - December 2025 (12 months)
Executive Summary
This report provides an analysis of the International Visitor Survey (IVS) data from January – December 2025 to understand visitor experiences and identify key insights that inform the development of Samoa’s tourism industry.
Key findings include:
- Visitor Profile: Visitors were primarily from New Zealand, Australia, the USA, and American Samoa, with 44% of respondents being first-time visitors. The average age group of respondents was 40–49 years, and the average annual household income was USD 74,533. Most visitors travelled solo (28%) and stayed an average of 9.0 nights.
- Visitor Characteristics & Preferences: The top three purposes of visit were holiday (46%), visiting friends and relatives (23%), and family fa’alavelave (8%). The most visited islands were Upolu (93%), Savai’i (38%), Manono (3%), and Apolima (1%). The most common accommodation choices were hotels (72%), staying with friends or relatives (19%), private homes (12%), fales (9%), and Airbnb’s (8%).
- Information & Decision-Making: Visitors mainly learned about Samoa through friends & family (62%), previous visits (27%), travel agents and agency brochures (11%), and the official Samoa travel website, samoa.travel (10%). The most influential factors in choosing Samoa were having friends and family in Samoa, attending an event, the warm and sunny weather, and the beaches and swimming opportunities.
- Visitor Spending and Impact: The average prepaid expenditure per person was USD 745, with an estimated 55% of this benefitting the local economy. Average in‑country spend was USD 726 per person, bringing total expenditure to USD 1,136 per visitor per trip. Based on overall visitor arrivals, this translated to an estimated economic impact of USD 201 million for Samoa during the period.
- Visitor Satisfaction: Visitors expressed high satisfaction with the friendliness of the people in Samoa, overall experience, the variety of things to see and do, and the airport arrival experience. Popular activities among visitors included dining at restaurants and cafés, swimming, visiting the beach, sightseeing, and shopping for local clothing (local sarongs, etc)
Respondents also identified several areas for improvement that would enhance the overall visitor experience, including customer service, pricing, waste management and cleanliness, public services and infrastructure, stray animals, pest control and animal welfare, and the availability of activities and attractions. Despite these challenges, the majority of visitors expressed a strong willingness to return to Samoa (92%) and a high likelihood of recommending the destination to others (96%).
January - June 2025 (6 months)
Executive Summary
This report provides an analysis of the International Visitor Survey (IVS) data from January to June 2025 to understand the visitor experience and gain insights into the Samoan tourism industry.
Key findings include:
- Visitor Profile: The majority of visitors were from New Zealand (48%), Australia (24%), and the USA (9%). The average age group was 45-59 years old, and the average household income was WST233,904
- Visitor Characteristics & Preferences: The top three purposes of visit were holiday (43%), visiting friends or relatives (26%), and family fa’alavelave (10%). The average length of stay was 9.6 nights, and the most visited islands were Upolu (70%) and Savai’i (27%).
- Information & Decision Making: Friends and family were the most influential source of information about Samoa. Other influential factors in choosing Samoa as a destination included beaches and swimming, local food, safety, culture and history, and natural attractions.
- Visitor Spending and Impact: The average prepaid expenditure per person was WST6,836, and the average local spend per person per day was WST232. The estimated return to the economy was 55%.
- Visitor Satisfaction: Visitors were generally satisfied with their overall experience of Samoa, with the highest satisfaction ratings for the cleanliness of the country the friendliness of the Samoan people and the variety of things to see and do.
The report also highlights areas for improvement, including customer service, public services and infrastructure, and environmental cleanliness. Despite these areas for improvement, the majority of visitors expressed a willingness to return to Samoa and recommend it to others.
