While some tourism businesses in Savai’i renovated their facilities with grants from the Government’s economic stimulus packages, Amoa Resort strengthened its response to Covid-19 protocols.
Amoa Resort Manager, Elizabeth Siaosi said they initially purchased thermometers to check temperatures, masks, hand sanitisers, computer hardware and other items to respond to the virus.
On arrival at the resort, staff check visitors’ temperature and vaccination card.
“Prior to Covid there was measles and our response is a human response and first is to protect our staff and guests and since measles we’ve all had masks and hand sanitizers and gloves and we feel that people who are travelling they want to see the same mirrored back to them,” Siaosi said.
“It’s not easy to wake up every day to gear up but it’s the future of travelling.
“There is a possibility that we will decline any guests who come in unvaccinated, Tuasivi is not far away.
“We are restricted from having dining guests so what we do is each rooms have extra dining tables outside of their rooms for dining and for service, it’s either they call us or they will come to us in a social distance manner to order their food and when ready we will deliver outside of their rooms.
“We’ve done a lot of research and we’ve had STA give us training and we’re still learning of what we can be doing.”
Certain protocols have been in place for guests to abide by as well as the staff.
Another priority for the resort is the safety of their staff.
Our staff is our extreme priority and they’re going back to their families so we need to make sure they’re all safe and vaccinated, Siaosi added.
After international borders closed two years ago due to the global Covid-19 pandemic, Amoa Resort reduced its staff and some of its operations.
Inter-island travel and local tourists kept the business going during that period.
“We’re lucky to reside close to the wharf as some people come for family matters or work and also a small percentage of local tourists and that we’ve been able to sustain. We just keep praying and hoping that we can be able to carry on even with this new event which is Covid in Samoa.”
“In a Covid environment it has been our strength because we still have a market and people travelling and that has been our advantage and our location being an outer island, so we’ve been doing our best to maintain our presence and attract the local market and we’re using most of our staff to have double hats in catering our guests now,”Siaosi said.
Having worked in the tourism industry for many years, Siaosi said she believes that the industry won’t return to normal until the borders are opened.
“As the pandemic changes, every property will need to evolve and we’re relying on the borders to open for a strong industry both in Upolu and Savaii,” she said.
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