2. Board Papers: 3. Other Meetings

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1 2018 SPTO BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING & COUNCIL OF TOURISM MINISTERS MEETING MEETING INFORMATION PACKAGE THEME: Protecting Our Blue Pacific, Our Livelihood & Our Home Apia, Samoa Thursday 04 October & Friday 05 October 2018 We are pleased to advise that Sheraton Samoa Aggies Hotel and Bungalows, Apia will be the venue for our October 2018 Board of Directors and the Council of Tourism Ministers Meeting. This logistics note is prepared by the SPTO Secretariat to ensure a pleasant and fruitful gathering for all Board and Council Members. The SPTO Secretariat would like to express their sincere appreciation to the Board members and Council of Ministers for your commitment and participation at this event. 1. Board Venue The Board of Directors Meeting is on Thursday October at the Sheraton Samoa Aggies Hotel & Bungalows Apia, Samoa. The Council of Tourism Ministers Meeting is on Friday October at the Sheraton Samoa Aggies Hotel & Bungalows Apia, Samoa. 2. Board Papers: The meeting papers for the Board of Directors Meeting and the Council of Tourism Ministers Meeting will be sent through 1 month before. The meetings will be paperless hence all meeting papers will be saved in a USB stick and upon arrival each Board and Council member will be given a USB stick containing all meeting papers. 3. Other Meetings Kindly note that there will be other meetings to be convened at the Sheraton Aggies Hotel and Bungalows within that same week. The details are provided below: i. Monday 1 October is the UNESCO Meeting. Board members are welcome to join however accommodation will be at your own expense. ii. Tuesday 2 October is the Marketing Directors Meeting. This meeting is only for Marketing Managers. 1

2 iii. Wednesday 3 October is the PATA PTIC Meeting. Participants are welcome to attend this meeting however registration and payment of a 50% discount fees (US$50) are mandatory and must be done prior. Registration can be accessed via 4. International Time: Samoa West Time (SWT) GMT+13 hours in advance of UTC. 5. Samoan Immigration and Visa Requirements All visitors to Samoa are not required to obtain an entry permit for stays of less than 60 days. It is however important for visitors or travelers to have a return or onward ticket and passports must be valid for six months or more at the time of entry into the country. All travelers are required to complete a passenger arrival declaration card and submit it on arrival. Upon departure, a departure declaration must also be completed and submitted. 6. Travel Logistics All participants are requested to provide their respective travelling details to the SPTO Secretariat according to the details mentioned in No 23. Important Reminder: i. Air travel bookings, visa arrangement and payments, and accommodation is the sole responsibility of the participant. Transfer from airport to meeting venue before and after the meeting is arranged by the Samoa Tourism Authority. Kindly note that participants will cover their respective accommodation expenses. ii. iii. Morning tea, lunch and afternoon tea will be provided during the day of the meetings. If a Government Board of Director/Council of Tourism member cannot attend the scheduled Board/Council Meeting they are to write formally to the SPTO Secretariat advising the name and title of the person who will attend on their behalf as Proxy. Note this is a Constitutional requirement. 7. Currency: The local currency in Samoa is Samoan Tala (WST, WS$ or SAT). 8. IT/Communications Wifi is available 24/7 at the conference venue which is accessible to all participants. 2

3 9. Power Supply The commonly used type of power socket is Type 1, find below an image. You are advised to bring type 1 power socket. 10. Media Arrangements Ms. Alisi Lutu is the contact person for media arrangements and media releases. Issues regarding media please contact Ms. Alisi Lutu alutu@spto.org 11. Accommodation: Accommodation at special discounted rates has been arranged. These hotels are all within minutes drive/20 to 30 minutes walk to the meeting venue. Details of the hotels and room charges are detailed below: Hotels Names Room Type Per Night (WST) Rates with Breakfast Sheraton Deluxe Samoa Aggies Hotel & Bungalows Tanoa Tusitala Deluxe Hotel $398 per night (inclusive of free wifi, free access to all facilities and buffet breakfast). contact is sherrilyn.charles@sheraton.com $340 per night (inclusive of free wifi, access to all facilities and buffet breakfast). contact is gm.th@tanoahotels.com & osm@tanoahotels.com 3

4 Amanaki Hotel Deluxe $280 (inclusive of free breakfast. Plans for internet wifi will Standard 12. Functions and Meals Morning tea, lunch and afternoon tea will be provided on the meeting dates, Thursday 4 October 2018 and Friday 5 October. Extra-Curricular Activities $230 (inclusive of free breakfast. Plans for internet wifi will contact@amanakihotel.com Hotel Millenia Deluxe $195 (inclusive of free breakfast. Plans for internet wifi will info@hotelmilleniasamoa.com & rosahhim@ymail.com Le Alaimoana Hotel Hotel Elisa Standard Budget Teuila Rooms 2 Bedroom Apartment Ocean View Parcell Seaview Standard $165 (inclusive of free breakfast. Plans for internet wifi will info@hotelmilleniasamoa.com & rosahhim@ymail.com $165 (inclusive of free breakfast. Plans for internet wifi will info@hotelmilleniasamoa.com & rosahhim@ymail.com $270 (3 beds inclusive of free breakfast. Plans for internet wifi will myroom@alaimoana.ws & mara@alaimoana.ws $350 (inclusive of free breakfast. Plans for internet wifi will myroom@alaimoana.ws & mara@alaimoana.ws $300 (inclusive of free tropical breakfast). contact is reservations@hotelelisa.ws & contact@hotelelisa.ws $240 (inclusive of free tropical breakfast). contact is reservations@hotelelisa.ws & contact@hotelelisa.ws $200 (inclusive of free tropical breakfast). contact is reservations@hotelelisa.ws & contact@hotelelisa.ws i. On the night of Tuesday 2 October a cocktail reception for PATA PTIC will be sponsored by Samoa Tourism Authority. ii. On the night of Thursday 4 October a welcome cocktail will be hosted by SPTO in the Samoa Tourism Authority Fale. iii. On the night of Friday 5 October a closing program will be hosted by Samoa Tourism Authority (STA) more details will be provided later. 4

5 13. Dress Code: Respective members of Board of Directors and Council of Ministers are required to dress in Island style attire. 14. Public Transportation Public transportation in Samoa is effective making daily travelling reasonably easy. Local buses are cheap, named with their destinations and operate all over the islands frequently (apart from on Sundays). Fares are usually paid to the bus driver. Taxis also operate daily and hires are usually paid to the taxi driver. A taxi meter is not used hence taxi hire. The Samoan Land Transport Authority has current information on taxi fares. Participants are advised to give their destinations to the taxi drivers and ask what the hire is prior to departure. 15. Hotel Transfer from the Airport Samoa Organising Committee will provide transportation from Faleolo International Airport to the hotels where the Board Members and Council of Ministers will be billeting. The same transportation arrangement will also be provided from the hotels where Board Members and Council of Ministers are billeted to the meeting venue and vice versa. Please note that the Council of Ministers will have their own private vehicles. 16. Medical Tupua Tamasese Meaole Hospital in Apia opens 24 hours daily and it is located in the center of town. In a situation where a delegate is in need of medical assistance please contact STA Mr. Suifua. 17. Business Hours Business hours is from 8:00 am to 5:00pm 18. Shopping, Crafts & Services Apia provides a variety of shopping, crafts and services centers all of which are located in the centre of town. 5

6 19. Market Savalalo Flea Market is the place to look for and pick up unique Samoan handicrafts. It is located in the centre of town with various stalls selling countless unique Samoan art and craft, prints and artefacts. A fresh produce market called Fugalei Fresh Produce Market is located in the center of town and opens daily. It offers an array of fresh produce and local cooked foods which you could nibble on. 20. Courier Service EMS, DHL Samoa and Samoa Post Office offer courier services and all are located in the centre of town. 21. Weather Samoa's weather is warm and tropical all year round. The dry season is from May to October and the wet season is from November to April. It is advisable to bring with you light rain coats and umbrellas. 22. Official Language The official language is English, Samoan language remains the common language. 23. Secretariat Support and Emergency Contact: South Pacific Tourism Organization P.O. Box 13119, Suva, Fiji Ph: Fax: Website: For Enquiries & Emergency Contact: Mrs. Irma Stone Daphney, Manager Finance & Corporate Services istone@spto.org and copy Mrs. Esther Morrel, Administration Assistant emorrel@spto.org, and Ms. Tokanuea Karakaua, Administration Officer tkarakaua@spto.org 6