SAMOA
SAMOA
Island time
‘# stopitsamoa ’ was the viral hashtag on CIM ’ s recent trip to this South Pacific gem , with every moment surpassing the next , discovers Sheridan Randall .
Those that know the South Pacific say it isn ’ t like it used to be . And then they go to Samoa . Author Robert Louis Stevenson came and never left . They buried him on Mount Vaea , overlooking the capital Apia . His house is still there , saved from decay by a wealthy philanthropist , offering an evocative glimpse into the past . But the allure that cast its spell over Stevenson is as evident today as it was then . This isn ’ t a land that time forgot , it is simply a land that forgot time . Things run at their own pace , in a good way . We all talk of “ island time ”, but in Samoa that ’ s a positive . Rushing here would be akin to madness . What are you rushing to when the moment now is just so perfect ?
Talking time , around two years ago Samoa got the date line shifted , so instead of being the last cab of the clock , they became the first to see in each new day on earth . They also changed from right to left when it came to driving . This wasn ’ t a whim , Samoa was simply aligning itself with its natural tourism markets – Australia and New Zealand .
So what ’ s on offer ? The good news is there is an extensive range of accommodation , from 4- to 5-star corporate accommodation with meeting facilities to match through to boutique resorts perfect for incentive groups seeking exclusivity and privacy . The main conferencing hotels are all in the capital Apia . For those seeking a global brand Sheraton Samoa Aggie Grey ' s Hotel & Bungalows ticks all the boxes , but it ’ s not the only hotel that will please a corporate crowd , with Tanoa Tusitala Hotel and newcomer Taumeasina Island Resort meeting international expectations in terms of service and facilities .
Head away from the capital and things slow down somewhat . Stay on the main island Upolu or take the ferry across to Savaii for a wide spectrum of accommodation , nestled against a backdrop of lush hinterland and beautiful
20 Convention & Incentive Marketing , Issue 3 , 2017 www . cimmagazine . com
SAMOA
Island time
‘#stopitsamoa’ was the viral hashtag on CIM’s recent trip to this South Pacific gem, with every moment
surpassing the next, discovers Sheridan Randall.
Those that know the South Pacific say it
isn’t like it used to be. And then they go
to Samoa. Author Robert Louis Stevenson
came and never left. They buried him on
Mount Vaea, overlooking the capital Apia.
His house is still there, saved from decay
by a wealthy philanthropist, offering an
evocative glimpse into the past. But the
allure that cast its spell over Stevenson is
as evident today as it was then. This isn’t
a land that time forgot, it is simply a land
that forgot time. Things run at their own
pace, in a good way. We all talk of “island
time”, but in Samoa that’s a positive.
Rushing here would be akin to madness.
What are you rushing to when the moment
now is just so perfect?
Talking time, around two years ago Samoa
got the date line shifted, so instead of
being the last cab of the clock, they became
the first to see in each new day on earth.
They also changed from right to left when
it came to driving. This wasn’t a whim,
Samoa was simply aligning itself with its
natural tourism markets – Australia and
New Zealand.
So what’s on offer? The good news is there
is an extensive range of accommodation,
from 4- to 5-star corporate accommodation
with meeting facilities to match through
to boutique resorts perfect for incentive
groups seeking exclusivity and privacy.
The main conferencing hotels are all in the
capital Apia. For those seeking a global
brand Sheraton Samoa Aggie Grey's Hotel
& Bungalows ticks all the boxes, but it’s not
the only hotel that will please a corporate
crowd, with Tanoa Tusitala Hotel and
newcomer Taumeasina Island Resort
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