Samoan international rugby league player, Jarome Luai has signed up as an Ambassador for the Samoa Tourism Authority.
Luai who is currently based with the Penrith Panthers will be joining the likes of Wallabies prop, Scott Sio and All Black, Sa’u Patrick Tuipulotu as STA Ambassadors.
This was confirmed by STA in a recent statement.
The NRL star is elated to be picked as an ambassador to promote tourism in the country.
The Penrith star’s Samoan roots stretch back to his grandparents and he admits the rich Samoan culture has played an influential role in his life.
Both Jarome and his family are extremely proud that he has been handpicked to help promote the beautiful island nation to Australians in the lead-up to a Pacific Travel bubble opening,.
The 23-year-old rugby league player debuted for Samoa in 2017 against Mate Ma'a Tonga, and in 2019 he was part of Samoan team in the N.R.L. Nines tournament.
STA Chief Executive Officer, Faamatuainu Lenata’i Suifua, said, “We’re thrilled and very excited to welcome son of Samoa, Jarome Luai to our family of Ambassadors and we look forward to working with the NRL star in promoting Samoa as a must-visit Pacific destination to the key Australian market.”
Hailing from Sydney, Jarome’s Samoan roots run strong from his paternal side, with Luai choosing to represent Samoa at the 2017 World Cup. Samoa has been hailed as a safe haven for future international travel, having recorded zero local cases of COVID-19.
Upon his appointment, Jarome Luai said: "I'm extremely proud of my Samoan heritage and I'm honoured to be appointed as the newest ambassador for Samoa Tourism.”
“It is such a wonderful country. I went back to Samoa in 2017 and it was even more beautiful than I expected. I'm really passionate about encouraging Australians to visit the island nation and explore Samoa's rich culture, friendly locals, untouched landscapes and stunning beaches."
"It's the perfect place for a secluded getaway, which is what we'll all be looking for in a post-Covid world. Plus, it's only a short plane trip away. I can't wait to get back home with my parents when it's safe to do so."
For the period 2014-2019, Australia was Samoa’s most lucrative market with a Spend per Visitor of $3,308 tala. In 2019, it accounted for 22% of total Visitor Arrivals of 180,858 and 26% of total Visitor Spend of $528m tala.