Covid-19 Alert

Latest information on the Coronavirus (COVID-19) in Samoa

impacts of covid 19 on tourism in samoa

Key Updates

  • On 11 March, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak a global pandemic.
  • Samoa declares the State of Emergency to come into effect on 22nd March 2020
  • in exceptional circumstances approved by Cabinet, all international travel to and from Samoa by plane are ceased.
  • For special travel considerations, please see the current State of Emergency Orders.

Information for International Travellers 

The current State of Emergency in Samoa requires that all international borders remain closed until further notice. Samoa remains free of COVID-19 and we hope to be able to welcome you back once it is safe. For any travellers who have already purchased international travel arrangements are advised to contact their booking agents for further information.

Airports, Flights & Cruiseships

Except in exceptional circumstances approved by Cabinet, all international travel to and from Samoa by plane are ceased. Repatriation of Samoan citizens to Samoa from American Samoa and vice versa may be possible via Samoa Airways. Mandatory COVID-19 testing and quarantine requirements are in effect. For more information, please contact the Ministry of Health .

All boats and ships are prohibited access except in particular circumstances.

For further details, please see the current State of Emergency Orders . 

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Pandemic triggered 2,000 tourism job losses

Pandemic triggered 2,000 tourism job losses

The Covid-19 pandemic which strangled Samoa's tourism sector for close to three years from early 2020 led to the loss of over 2,000 employees.

The impact of the pandemic was highlighted in the Government's Samoa Tourism Sector Plan 2022-2027 which was launched last Friday with the document revealing how employment numbers within the sector tumbled after the country was hit by the measles epidemic mid-2019 followed by the pandemic in early 2020.

But the numbers are beginning to pick up as more visitors enter the country following the opening of Samoa's international borders in August last year.

The Plan reflected on data from a tourism employment survey in 2012, when there were 2,825 employees within the local tourism sector, followed by another survey in 2016 which showed an increased of 36.1 per cent, or a total direct employment of 4,422 employees.

"The increase was mainly driven by the increase in hotel operators including Taumeasina Island Resort as well as the reopening of Sheraton Hotel following the recovery from Cyclone Evan," the Plan stated.

"However, following the measles in 2019 and the impact of Covid-19 in 2020, the recent tourism survey completed in November 2020 indicated a reduction of fully employed people in the sector."

The current status of employment in the tourism sector as of January 2021 points to an overall total of 5,208 employees recorded through 15 various categories in the sector. These include accommodation which employs 3073, food and beverages (1237), airlines (57), travel agents (25), dive operations (14), car rental (213), other transportation (9), tour operators (48), attraction sites (60), handicrafts/gift shops (233), spa (79), museums (45), cinemas (12), internet cafe (8), and other (95).

The tourism sector as well as the Samoa Tourism Authority are working to improve and boost the industry to get it back on track to pre-Covid-19 levels although it is believed that it will take some time.

A mapping key tourism related plans that were developed since the start of the Plan in 2014 indicates the STSP outcomes are well aligned to a wide range of planning tools which were developed during a specific plan period, the Plan stated.

One of the impacted tourism operators and owner of the Saletoga Sands Resort and Spa, Gavin Brightwell, told this newspaper how his company managed to stay open throughout the pandemic period despite their numerous challenges.

He said the company also had to make personal sacrifices during the pandemic in order to continue to pay all their staff. 

"I sold my personal car and even all the rental cars were sold to pay for the employees," Mr. Brightwell said in an earlier interview. 

Saletoga Sands Resort and Spa was one few resorts in Samoa which strived to stay open since the start of the pandemic in early 2020.

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Samoa locks down after recording its first community COVID-19 case

Ashley

Ashley Westerman

impacts of covid 19 on tourism in samoa

The Tupua Tamasese Meaule Hospital is pictured in Apia, Samoa, on July 10, 2015. Samoa will go into lockdown beginning Saturday as it faces its first outbreak of the coronavirus after a woman who was about to leave the country tested positive. Dean Purcell/AP hide caption

The Tupua Tamasese Meaule Hospital is pictured in Apia, Samoa, on July 10, 2015. Samoa will go into lockdown beginning Saturday as it faces its first outbreak of the coronavirus after a woman who was about to leave the country tested positive.

The Pacific island nation of Samoa has detected its very first case of community-transmitted COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic, prompting a nationwide lockdown due to being this weekend.

Prime Minister Fiame Naomi Mata-afa said in a news conference late Thursday that the country would be placed under a state of emergency and schools, gyms, nightclubs and bars would be closed Friday. Shops and other services can continue to operate until Saturday night, she said, when at midnight a nation-wide lockdown of its some 200,000 residents will begin and last until at least Tuesday.

The community case is a woman who tested positive Thursday during required testing before boarding an international flight, The Samoa Observer reports.

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According to a report submitted to the Ministry of Health, the individual developed symptoms Saturday, but continued to move about the community during the week, traveling to several places such as church, the library and the market, according to the news outlet. The individual has since been isolated and contact tracing begun.

This is the country's second lockdown of the year. In late January, Samoan officials restricted the movement of its people after passengers on a flight from Australia tested positive in quarantine.

Samoa recorded its very first COVID-19 case in November 2020 and has since racked up over 40 cases and no deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University. But until this week, all of the previous cases have been caught in quarantine.

This year has so far seen the pandemic reach crevices of the world, such as the Pacific, that had previously managed to keep the virus mostly at bay for nearly two years.

Along with Samoa, the archipelago nation of Kiribati also went into lockdown in January when it detected its first cases of community transmission. Before that, Kiribati had only recorded two COVID cases. The country now has over 3,000 and 13 people have died, according to the WHO.

The next month, Tonga, which had previously recorded only one case, also detected its first community-transmission of COVID-19 after international aid began pouring into the country following the eruption of a massive underwater volcano in mid-January. Now the country has over 2,000 cases and two people have died.

Even the tiny island nation of Niue, only a little over 100 square-miles in size and located some 1,500 miles northeast of New Zealand, detected its very first COVID-19 case last week when a flight passenger arriving from New Zealand tested positive.

Tonight, the Government of Niue announced it had detected its first case of COVID-19 that has arrived on the island. @PremierNiue 1/12 pic.twitter.com/s8nKOuaEvt — Niue Government Media (@MediaNiue) March 9, 2022

Palau, the Cook Islands, Fiji, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Papua New Guinea and the French territories of New Caledonia and French Polynesia have all seen spikes in COVID-19 since the start of the year. Meanwhile, the Federated States of Micronesia, Tuvalu and Nauru have yet to report a single case.

The isolation of Pacific nations has played to their advantage during the pandemic, as they were able to shut their borders quickly. But enjoying a relatively COVID-free life the past two years hasn't been without great cost to their tourism and commodity-dependent economies, experts say.

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No positives for samoa's tourism industry in 2019-2020.

Samoa's backbone, the tourism industry recorded a decline of WST$375.3 million for financial year 2019-2020, though well short of the WST$514.2 million during the previous fiscal year.

This was outlined in the Samoa Tourism Authority's annual report for financial year 2020.

A major concern is the industry's existing loans turning into non-performing loans of more than WST$200 million.

Financial year 2020 is arguably the most challenging to date for the Samoa Tourism Authority with overall visitor expenditures decreasing.

Apia, Samoa.

Apia, Samoa. Photo: Ramunas/123RF

The report said the total credit to the private sector as reported is approximately WST$2.02 billion at end of December 2019 with at least 13 percent or WST$260 million outstanding debts for tourism businesses.

Based on updates from Central Bank the outstanding debts for tourism at end of March 2020 was approximately WST$270 million with non-performing loans totalling WST$13.5 million.

There is now a high risk of these existing loans turning into non-performing loans over the next 12 months given the reduction in revenue base for these businesses due to continued closure of Samoa's borders.

A beach fale in Samoa.

A beach fale in Samoa. Photo: Sarah Kelemen [CC BY 2.0]

Access to external resources will be critical to ensure support is provided towards those who have lost their jobs as well as financial viability of most small to medium operators.

The total estimated direct employment impact from March to end June 2020 indicates at least 1137 staff were terminated from accommodation providers and 433 from support services.

The total direct impact to accommodation providers as at the end of May 2020 is over 1000 staff laid off since the closure of borders and businesses.

The grant from the government increased for the year under review of WST$13.26 million compared to the previous year of WST$11.96 million.

Beach with coral reef and black volcanic rocks on south side of Upolu, Samoa Islands

Beach with coral reef and black volcanic rocks on south side of Upolu, Samoa Islands Photo: Copyright: mvaligursky / 123RF Stock Photo

Tourism is the most affected sector but there's hope

Fortunately, the Central Bank also forecasted that tourism will spearhead Samoa's economy recovery post Covid-19.

Stimulus packages have played a major role in assisting in the areas of capacity building, domestic tourism, international destination marketing, wage subsidies, product development and incentives.

Overall, more fiscal policies and resources are required to ensure the tourism sector survives during these unprecedented times.

Copyright © 2022 , Radio New Zealand

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impacts of covid 19 on tourism in samoa

COVID-19 survey: Majority of Samoans lost income, struggle with debt

impacts of covid 19 on tourism in samoa

The state of emergency has saved lives but could reverse some SDG progress for Samoa

Sixty-eight percent of Samoan respondents to a survey say they have lost income, almost half of households have at least one unemployed member and 71 percent of people are having trouble repaying debts as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and related restrictions.

The online survey  of 286 Samoans, which was conducted by the United Nations, says that COVID-19 has hit the pockets and wallets of Samoans, reducing revenue, increasing debt and for some households – affecting food security. Close to half of respondents say that the decline of domestic and international travel has led to a reduction in earnings. 23 percent said their employer has had to close a business, and 15 percent have had their job terminated.  The other most common reasons cited for a fall in income included the interruption of social activities and the unavailability of stock for market vendors and shops. Some respondents said they quit their jobs because their employer changed employment conditions due to the crisis.

And the survey indicates that Samoans may not be optimistic about the future, with 75 percent of respondents saying that if the state of emergency continues for another two months, they expect a continued decline in their personal and household income.  Only 19.6 percent of respondents said that those in their household who lost income have been able to find a new source of revenue.

“Samoa acted quickly and decisively to implement a state of emergency that has prevented the spread of COVID-19 and saved many lives,” said Simona Marinescu, UN Resident Coordinator for the Cook Islands, Niue, Samoa and Tokelau. ”However, Samoa like any other country, has been affected in multiple ways by the COVID-19 pandemic whose socio-economic cost continues to grow. Although we have avoided a health crisis, all indicators suggest that a protracted economic crisis is on the horizon. Poverty may rise and the hard work done in recent years to advance many of the sustainable development goals could be reversed, unless we take action now to protect the most vulnerable.”

Close to a third of respondents say that they are receiving some kind of support from the government during the state of emergency. The official response to the crisis has included two stimulus packages, which Marinescu said appears to have been timely and working well. “The initial response of the UN system in Samoa was to help the government to deal with the immediate health emergency, such as by boosting testing capacity through the procurement of necessary equipment - and by supporting the health sector. Now we must look to the longer-term socio-economic impact. The first step in this process is to use tools such as this survey to quickly gather evidence and understand how the crisis is affecting ordinary people. The next step will be to design programmes that complement and expand the government’s own continued efforts to stimulate the economy and prevent a rise in poverty and hardship.” 

The survey also shows that 71 percent of Samoans expressed concern that the loss of income has had an effect on their ability to repay debts, with personal loans, mortgages, store credit, motor vehicle loans and education loans being the most common reasons that Samoans owe money. This debt spiral could exacerbate poverty further warns the UN.

Worryingly, the impact of COVID-19 on supply chains and household incomes already appears to have affected food security for some. 17 percent of respondents say that they are buying significantly less food. The nutritional value of food may also have declined due to the crisis. Around 10.5 percent of respondents say the quality of their household diet has declined significantly, while 36 percent say it has “somewhat” declined.       

The online survey took place between 11 June and 5 July 2020. 57 percent of respondents were female, 68 percent were between the ages of 25 and 44, 47 percent were the head of a household and 76 percent were the main family income earner. 

A summary report of the findings of the online survey contains the disclaimer that “this information is meant to be indicative only.” Because online surveys may be less reliable than other forms of data gathering, a further more detailed survey will be conducted door-to-door this month.

Read a summary of the main findings

Un entities involved in this initiative, goals we are supporting through this initiative.

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The post-COVID-19 normal in the Pacific must be digital

June 28, 2020.

Q&A with Jorn Sorensen, UNDP Resident Representative in Samoa (Multi Country Office for Cook Islands, Niue, Samoa & Tokelau)

The time is just right, as the Cook Islands, Niue, Samoa and Tokelau will be connected to a submarine fiber-optic cable in 2020-2021. UNDP Photo.

1. What single issue do you think will make the most change for the future of development, and why?   This is the dawning of a new era for Samoa and the Pacific. Although there are no confirmed cases of COVID-19 in any of the four countries and territories our office is supporting, the restrictions on international travel and public transport, including the suspension of inter-island ferries, have triggered changes in social dynamics, suspended business operations and caused loss of employment, particularly in the tourism industry and in micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs). Some of those disruptions could have been minimized with effective digital solutions and infrastructure. For example, public administration services could be faster and more efficient in the case of a pandemic if essential meetings and processes were conducted virtually. Similarly, many business operations could be sustained with digital technology, including sales, using e-commerce platforms during lockdowns. To this end, we are working with the key national stakeholders on re-thinking and re-shaping their processes so that their organizations are more resilient to sudden shocks, such as a pandemic. At the same time, everything we do supports our long-term strategy to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, and our upgraded vision and offer of cooperation with Small Island Developing States (our SIDS Offer). As we move along, we are keeping an eye on the transition towards a blue economy, and inclusive and sustainable growth. 2. How can Samoa and other Pacific Small Island Developing State (and possibly the world) achieve that ambitious result?  Firstly, we must think outside our comfort zones and identify lessons learned in the health sector, digital finance, e-emergency response, e-agriculture, big data, online learning and digital government for an inclusive digital society. Impacts of the recent measles epidemic in Samoa and now the novel coronavirus have proven that digital transformation can play a pivotal role in the before, during and after recovery phases via e-solutions. This also creates opportunities for policy makers to be innovative and exploratory, scanning the horizon for new solutions. The time is right, as the Cook Islands, Niue, Samoa and Tokelau will be connected to a submarine fiber-optic cable in 2020-2021. With this infrastructure in place, we are going to double our effort to engage in innovation, strategic policy, advocacy and partnerships, as well as digital finance – changing the way businesses and buyers behave by introducing e-solutions for agriculture, such as the use of drones, satellite imagery and GIS, and blockchains, as well as digital education and big data. As we are part of the global UNDP knowledge network, our activities are plugged into the regional efforts in the Pacific, Asia and beyond. The Government of Samoa and leadership in the other Pacific SIDS have access to the UNDP network, as well as the whole UN system, and use it to their strategic advantage towards sustainable development. 3. What can we do as UNDP to help countries make this happen, in very concrete ways?  First, we had to assess the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic in order to map out the crisis' adverse effects on the labour market, particularly the job losses in the tourism and hospitality sector. These early assessments found, for instance, that remittances – which are a significant part of Samoa’s earnings – are forecast to decrease by a minimum of 20 percent, as Samoans overseas are also affected by COVID-19 and are not able to send money home as frequently as before. This is further exacerbated by the fact that many Samoans who have worked for Recognized Seasonal Employment schemes overseas, are no longer able to do so. UNDP can provide the technical expertise required for the socioeconomic recovery - from digital transformation to upskilling, from climate change programming to climate finance, and from social protection to governance.  UNDP’s upgraded SIDS Offer helps us focus the transfer of knowledge as well as support the implementation of ambitious initiatives. Our track record shows UNDP is capable of large-scale results in the Pacific. For example, in partnership with 14 governments, the Global Environment Facility, the Forum Fisheries Agency, and others have helped transform the tuna fisheries sector in the Pacific. The participating 14 Pacific Islands are expected – for the first time ever – to have caught more fish last year in their waters than foreign fleets’ nets. This increased the GDP by $500 million, created 10,000 jobs, and has ensured that all four tuna species are fished sustainably. 4. What work is the Samoa Multi-country Office doing to achieve the above?   UNDP and UNCDF are working in partnership with SkyEye Samoa, an ICT/GIS company, to support the uptake of its e-commerce platform, Maua App, as a response to combat some of the economic effects of the COVID-19 crisis. The app allows registered vendors to upload their goods and services onto the Maua platform for potential buyers to purchase through digital payments in real time. The project will focus on reaching more customers and making the Maua App more accessible for vulnerable groups such as women, people with disabilities and rural communities. UNDP procured online meeting platform licenses for all the Government Ministries in Samoa, and the majority of Government Ministries in Niue and Tokelau. Digital solutions have been employed to support the Government of Samoa’s business continuity plan, so that the disruptions caused by COVID-19 in daily government operations and public service delivery could be alleviated. Furthermore, efforts have been undertaken to better support the health sector in ensuring Samoan citizens are safe and prepared for health risks associated with COVID-19, through the adoption and utilization of technology. The same assistance was also extended to Niue and Tokelau which has led to greater interconnectedness and coordination. We are currently exploring the usage of drones from Samoa to Niue and Tokelau for urgent delivery of medicines and as an emergency response tool. UNDP Samoa continues to work on other digital solutions projects as part of the COVID-19 response, such as supplying IT facilities for parliament, taking part in the Samoa Knowledge Society Initiative which acknowledges the right of access to information for all Samoans, and working with the Government to create a Digital Transformation Agency. Samoa’s first UNDP Accelerator Lab will be established later this year and will drive the experimentation of emerging technology and application of innovative solutions to meet strategic priorities of the Government to alleviate the impacts of COVID-19 across society.

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UN Tourism | Bringing the world closer

Secretary-general’s policy brief on tourism and covid-19.

Tourism and COVID-19 – unprecedented economic impacts

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Tourism and COVID-19 – unprecedented economic impacts

The Policy Brief provides an overview of the socio-economic impacts from the pandemic on tourism, including on the millions of livelihoods it sustains. It highlights the role tourism plays in advancing the Sustainable Development Goals, including its relationship with environmental goals and culture. The Brief calls on the urgency of mitigating the impacts on livelihoods, especially for women, youth and informal workers.

The crisis is an opportunity to rethink how tourism interacts with our societies, other economic sectors and our natural resources and ecosystems; to measure and manage it better; to ensure a fair distribution of its benefits and to advance the transition towards a carbon neutral and resilient tourism economy.

The brief provides recommendations in five priority areas to cushion the massive impacts on lives and economies and to rebuild a tourism with people at the center. It features examples of governments support to the sector, calls for a reopening that gives priority to the health and safety of the workers, travelers and host communities and provides a roadmap to transform tourism.

  • Tourism is one of the world’s major economic sectors. It is the third-largest export category (after fuels and chemicals) and in 2019 accounted for 7% of global trade .
  • For some countries, it can represent over 20% of their GDP and, overall, it is the third largest export sector of the global economy.
  • Tourism is one of the sectors most affected by the Covid-19 pandemic, impacting economies, livelihoods, public services and opportunities on all continents. All parts of its vast value-chain have been affected. 
  • Export revenues from tourism could fall by $910 billion to $1.2 trillion in 2020. This will have a wider impact and could reduce global GDP by 1.5% to 2.8% .
  • Tourism supports one in 10 jobs and provides livelihoods for many millions more in both developing and developed economies.
  • In some Small Island Developing States (SIDS), tourism has accounted for as much as 80% of exports, while it also represents important shares of national economies in both developed and developing countries.

100 to 120 MILLON

100 to 120 MILLON

direct tourism jobs at risk

Massive Impact on Livelihoods

  • As many as 100 million direct tourism jobs are at risk , in addition to sectors associated with tourism such as labour-intensive accommodation and food services industries that provide employment for 144 million workers worldwide. Small businesses (which shoulder 80% of global tourism) are particularly vulnerable.
  • Women, who make up 54% of the tourism workforce, youth and workers in the informal economy are among the most at-risk categories.
  • No nation will be unaffected. Destinations most reliant on tourism for jobs and economic growth are likely to be hit hardest: SIDS, Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and African countries. In Africa, the sector represented 10% of all exports in 2019.  

910 billion

US$ 910 Billon to US$ 1.2 Trillon

in export from tourism - international visitors' spending

Preserving the Planet -- Mitigating Impacts on Nature and Culture

  • The sudden fall in tourism cuts off funding for biodiversity conservation . Some 7% of world tourism relates to wildlife , a segment growing by 3% annually.
  • This places jobs at risk and has already led to a rise in poaching, looting and in consumption of bushmeat , partly due to the decreased presence of tourists and staff.
  • The impact on biodiversity and ecosystems is particularly critical in SIDS and LDCs. In many African destinations, wildlife accounts for up to 80% of visits, and in many SIDS, tourism revenues enable marine conservation efforts.
  • Several examples of community involvement in nature tourism show how communities, including indigenous peoples, have been able to protect their cultural and natural heritage while creating wealth and improve their wellbeing. The impact of COVID-19 on tourism places further pressure on heritage conservation as well as on the cultural and social fabric of communities , particularly for indigenous people and ethnic groups.
  • For instance, many intangible cultural heritage practices such as traditional festivals and gatherings have been halted or postponed , and with the closure of markets for handicrafts, products and other goods , indigenous women’s revenues have been particularly impacted.
  • 90% of countries have closed World Heritage Sites, with immense socio-economic consequences for communities reliant on tourism. Further, 90% of museums closed and 13% may never reopen.

1.5% to 2.8 of global GDP

1.5% to 2.8 of global GDP

Five priorities for tourism’s restart.

The COVID-19 crisis is a watershed moment to align the effort of sustaining livelihoods dependent on tourism to the SDGs and ensuring a more resilient, inclusive, carbon neutral, and resource efficient future.

A roadmap to transform tourism needs to address five priority areas:

  • Mitigate socio-economic impacts on livelihoods , particularly women’s employment and economic security.
  • Boost competitiveness and build resilience , including through economic diversification, with promotion of domestic and regional tourism where possible, and facilitation of conducive business environment for micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs).
  • Advance innovation and digital transformation of tourism , including promotion of innovation and investment in digital skills, particularly for workers temporarily without jobs and for job seekers.
  • Foster sustainability and green growth to shift towards a resilient, competitive, resource efficient and carbon-neutral tourism sector. Green investments for recovery could target protected areas, renewable energy, smart buildings and the circular economy, among other opportunities.
  • Coordination and partnerships to restart and transform sector towards achieving SDGs , ensuring tourism’s restart and recovery puts people first and work together to ease and lift travel restrictions in a responsible and coordinated manner.

SIDS, LDCs and many AFRICAN COUNTRIES

a lifelive for

SIDS, LDCs and many AFRICAN COUNTRIES

tourism represents over 30% of exports for the majority of SIDS and 80% for some

Moving Ahead Together

  • As countries gradually lift travel restrictions and tourism slowly restarts in many parts of the world, health must continue to be a priority and coordinated heath protocols that protect workers, communities and travellers, while supporting companies and workers, must be firmly in place.
  • Only through collective action and international cooperation will we be able to transform tourism, advance its contribution to the 2030 Agenda and its shift towards an inclusive and carbon neutral sector that harnesses innovation and digitalization, embraces local values and communities and creates decent job opportunities for all, leaving no one behind. We are stronger together.

RESOURCES FOR CONSEVATION

RESOURCES FOR CONSEVATION

of natural and cultural heritage

Related links

  • Policy Brief: Tourism and COVID-19
  • The Impact of COVID-19 on Tourism
  • António Guterres - Video

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United nations in samoa: covid-19 socio-economic response plan 2020, attachments.

Preview of WSM_Socioeconomic-Response-Plan_2020.pdf

Executive Summary

At the time the Socio-Economic Response Plan is developed to address the impact of COVID-19 in Samoa, the pandemic has already infected over 22 million people and claimed close to 800,000 lives worldwide. The pandemic and its associated impacts show no sign of weakening.

While Samoa remains virus free, most of the Samoan livelihoods have been affected with 2/3 of the households admitting their main income has declined and close to 50% experiencing at least one job loss due to the pandemic-related restrictions. The pre-pandemic employment participation rates in Samoa as reflected in the 2019-2020 DHS-MICS results were already critically low with only 21.6 percent of women employed and 53.7 percent of men holding a job. With no tourists coming to Samoa anymore and most of the regional and global value chains that Samoa’s businesses could access being now disrupted, the joblessness and income insecurity have most likely created new poverty, up from the 22 percent rate prior to the crisis.

Similarly, the low proportion of children with foundational reading and number skills that the DHS-MICS 2019-2020 came up with (only 45.0 percent of children age 7-14 completed three foundational reading tasks and 22.7 percent were capable of completing four foundational number tasks) indicate that the education system was already underperforming before the pandemic and may continue to deteriorate if the pandemic leads again to school closure. Distance education as an alternative to in-school learning remains challenging with only 26.5 percent of the households owning a computer and 21.1 percent of women and 19.2 percent of men using a computer withing the last three months prior to the survey. Domestic violence that, according to the 2017 National Inquiry conducted by the National Human Rights Institute, was the highest in the Pacific Region remains of concern with 52.3 percent of the women age 15-49 reporting to have experienced physical violence in their lifetime out of whom 37.5 percent by their current husband or partner.

To identify the socio-economic impact of COVID-19 in Samoa, the UN Country Team conducted a thorough assessment using the five pillar approach of the UN Framework for the Immediate Socio-Economic Response to COVID-19. The Socio-Economic Impact Assessment (SEIA) for Samoa was released on 24 July 2020.

This Socio-Economic Response Plan (Plan) draws on the SEIA and aims at ensuring that all investments made by the UN Country Team in Samoa will address the impact of the pandemic-related restrictions.

The United Nations in Samoa, in line with the Pacific Strategy (UNPS 2018-2022), works to address and build resilience to climate-related fragility, while promoting inclusive growth, gender equality and women’s empowerment, universal access to basic services, and accountable governance. All of these development aims are jeopardized by the coronavirus pandemic. While Samoa remains free of the virus, the social and economic impact of the measures to prevent the spread of the virus to the country has been significant. The following Plan sets out the strategic interventions that the UNCT commits to pursuing in 2020-2021 in response to the findings of the SEIA.

The Plan takes note of pre-existing development vulnerabilities that the pandemic has further exacerbated. Similar to all Small Islands and Developing States (SIDS), Samoa is highly dependent on tourism, a sector of the economy particularly impacted by the pandemicrelated restrictions and is also heavily reliant on imports including food. Samoa is therefore emblematic of regional development issues that will be the primary focus of the UN’s efforts to aid countries build back better from the economic and social disruptions we are currently facing.

The Plan complements the SEIA and identifies and costs interventions across the five sector pillars – health, social protection, food security, macro-economic factors, and social cohesion. As findings of the SEIA are not definitive due to still limited cross border exchanges and absent tourism, the Plan remains a living framework as the pandemic continues. The UNCT will periodically update the SEIA and the Plan as more information becomes available to enable informed decisions on development priorities to be made by the government, the UN and other development actors and donors.

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Saving lives Changing minds : #7 Aug 2013 - Jan 2014

New Reports Identify Pathways to Build a Climate-Smart Economy in Zimbabwe

HARARE, March 4, 2024 ̶ Zimbabwe remains vulnerable to climatic shocks and without adaptation, climate change will impose high costs on the economy, getting progressively larger over time, and this could cost nearly 5 percent of GDP annually by 2050. To mitigate the impact, Zimbabwe can take immediate low-cost and 'no-regrets' climate actions to build resilience and stem emissions growth, including greening the mining industry, supporting conservation agriculture, and protecting and growing human capital, according to the World Bank.

The Zimbabwe Country Climate and Development Report (CCDR) and the Country Private Sector Diagnostic Report (CPSD) reports launched recently by the World Bank point to Zimbabwe’s abundant natural capital (mineral and renewable) as key to driving the country’s growth potential. Furthermore, leveraging the private sector to build a climate-smart resilient economy could reap dividends for the country that has significant opportunities in several key value chains such as agribusiness, tourism, and green minerals mining.

The CCDR reveals that while Zimbabwe is rich in mineral and renewable natural capital, existing public sector resources to address climate change challenges are limited by inadequate access to development finance and weak domestic revenue mobilization. According to the CCDR, Zimbabwe’s current macroeconomic constraints pose a double bind in which the inability to finance development, climate adaptation, and mitigation leads to increased land degradation, higher net emissions, and less climate resilience.

The CCDR defines a higher growth, greener, and more resilient path out of this double bind by linking demand from global value chains to Zimbabwe’s significant reserves of energy transition minerals. This valuable source of foreign exchange from mining could catalyze investment in renewable energy and fund other climate actions, such as expanding social protection, conservation agriculture, and land restoration.

The report proposes a set of “no-regrets” climate actions that are low-cost and could help shift Zimbabwe to an Upper-Middle Income (UMIC) level.

“Zimbabwe is at a crossroads, and the path that it takes now will have consequences for both its development and climate action, requiring further adaptation measures to limit climate change impacts on GDP growth alongside tough and robust governance systems of the mining sector,” says Victoria Kwakwa, World Bank Vice President for Eastern and Southern Africa.

The Government of Zimbabwe aims to transform Zimbabwe into an upper-middle-income country by 2030. According to the CPSD, the private sector has retained its resilience across many value chains. Sectors such as agriculture and agribusiness, tourism and mining hold significant potential. Zimbabwe has significant growth potential in the short term.

Despite these areas of comparative advantage, Zimbabwe’s economic performance remains frail due to entrenched macroeconomic instability, low investment, and limited structural transformation. The CPSD notes that the primary constraint to development is the chronic macroeconomic instability, historically caused by loose monetary and fiscal policy, foreign exchange rationing, and structural challenges. Therefore, sustaining economic growth will require Zimbabwe to tackle its macroeconomic and structural challenges. tighten fiscal policy and to rein in local-currency liquidity are critical to boosting growth.

“This CPSD for Zimbabwe gives us valuable insights into the challenges faced by Zimbabwe’s private sector,” says IFC Acting Country Manager for Zimbabwe, Vasco Nunes . “By leveraging the recommendations in the report, the government can boost investment, and unlock the latent potential in sectors ranging from agriculture to tourism and mining.”   

This CCDR and CPSD are the first such reports in Zimbabwe and aim to support the country’s efforts to achieve its development goals within a changing climate by quantifying its impacts on the economy and laying out a path to robust, climate-resilient growth.

About Country Climate and Development Reports (CCDRs)

The World Bank Group’s Country Climate and Development Reports (CCDRs) are new core diagnostic reports that integrate climate change and development considerations. They will help countries prioritize the most impactful actions that can reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and boost adaptation, while delivering on broader development goals. CCDRs build on data and rigorous research and identify main pathways to reduce GHG emissions and climate vulnerabilities, including the costs and challenges as well as benefits and opportunities from doing so. The reports suggest concrete, priority actions to support the low-carbon, resilient transition. As public documents, CCDRs aim to inform governments, citizens, the private sector and development partners and enable engagements with the development and climate agenda. CCDRs will feed into other core Bank Group diagnostics, country engagements and operations, and help attract funding and direct financing for high-impact climate action.

About Country Private Sector Diagnostic (CPSD)

The World Bank Group’s Country Private Sector Diagnostic (CPSD) is a core diagnostic report that assesses opportunities for and constraints to private sector-led growth. Each CPSD includes an assessment of the state of the private sector, identification of near-term opportunities for private sector engagement, and recommendations of reforms and policy actions to mobilize private investment and drive solutions to key development challenges. By combining both economy-wide and sector-specific analysis of constraints, the CPSD helps to create a common analytical basis to shape policy dialogue and guide transformational private investment.

The World Bank in Zimbabwe

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IMAGES

  1. COVID-19’s Impact On Tourism: Which Countries Are The Most Vulnerable

    impacts of covid 19 on tourism in samoa

  2. Pacific's Samoa records first case of coronavirus

    impacts of covid 19 on tourism in samoa

  3. New COVID-19 cases on the rise in Samoa's first community outbreak

    impacts of covid 19 on tourism in samoa

  4. Devastated by disease in the past, Samoa is on high alert after recent

    impacts of covid 19 on tourism in samoa

  5. COVID-19 Preparedness

    impacts of covid 19 on tourism in samoa

  6. A surge in poverty as tourism jobs in Samoa disappear

    impacts of covid 19 on tourism in samoa

COMMENTS

  1. What is Samoa doing to restart tourism?

    But, with Samoa being spared from the health impacts of COVID-19 right throughout the pandemic, we know that reopening to tourism must be done diligently and responsibly. To prepare for the long-anticipated revival of Samoa's tourism industry, much is being done to ensure the safety of our guests and communities alongside vaccination.

  2. From pandemic to economic crisis, Samoa's covid journey one year on

    From pandemic to economic crisis, Samoa's covid journey one year on. With Samoa's Covid-19 vaccine roll-out slated to start in April, some in the tourism sector aren't sure they'll be in business when borders eventually re-open. The Sinalei resort which has been shuttered until the re-opening of borders. Photo: Dominic Godfrey / RNZ Pacific.

  3. Information on COVID-19 in Samoa

    Key Updates. On 11 March, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak a global pandemic. Samoa declares the State of Emergency to come into effect on 22nd March 2020. in exceptional circumstances approved by Cabinet, all international travel to and from Samoa by plane are ceased.

  4. COVID-19 and tourism in Pacific SIDS: lessons from Fiji, Vanuatu and Samoa?

    Tourism was of critical economic importance in Pacific SIDS until COVID-19 border closures cut off international ties. The virus did not reach Vanuatu and Samoa, and few cases occurred in Fiji. The collapse of tourism, on land and from cruise ships, resulted in increased unemployment and the closure of hotels and tourism-oriented businesses ...

  5. Samoa Observer

    The Covid-19 pandemic which strangled Samoa's tourism sector for close to three years from early 2020 led to the loss of over 2,000 employees.The impact of the pandemic was highlighted in the Government's Samoa Tourism Sector Plan 2022-2027 which was launched last Friday with the document reveali...

  6. Samoan tourism bouncing back, but recovery ongoing

    Samoa fully reopening its borders on 1 August 2022 after two-and-a-half years shutdown due to covid-19. Sheraton Hotel in Samoa, formerly Aggie Grey's hotel. The business had been run for many years by members of the Grey family after it was founded by Aggie Grey in 1933.

  7. PDF Pacific islands tourism during COVID-19: Time for a rethink

    In one innovation, Fiji has recently created "Blue Lanes" to encourage tourism from crews of yachts that have had 14 continuous days quarantining at sea and are able to provide a negative COVID-19 test result.18. Another example of an intended local bubble is between the Cook Islands and New Zealand.

  8. PDF Samoa Covid-19 Development Response Plan

    Economically, Samoa is reliant on tourism, agriculture, remittances and development assistance. It is highly vulnerable to economic shocks and natural disasters. The ... nature and timing of COVID- 19 impacts in Samoa and the region. This uncertainty, coupled with the risks of COVID- 19 cases and a long, deep economic downturn, will remain ...

  9. COVID-19 pandemic in Samoa

    The COVID-19 pandemic in Samoa is part of the ongoing worldwide pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2).The virus was confirmed to have reached Samoa on 18 November 2020. The country reported its second case on 27 November. In January 2022, Samoa reported several cases in managed isolation among passengers from an ...

  10. A surge in poverty as tourism jobs in Samoa disappear

    Her organisation, Samoa Victim Support, is on the front line of a crisis that unfolded as the tourism industry, the mainstay of the Samoan economy, crumpled in the face of the coronavirus pandemic. In a few weeks, more than 70 hotels and resorts have closed, leaving more than 1,000 people jobless.

  11. Covid-19: Samoa economy struggling without tourists, looks to open to

    The latest economic update from the Central Bank of Samoa showed its annual GDP drop by 8.6 per cent in the 12 months, heavily impacted by the complete loss of income to its tourism sector.

  12. SEIA: Understanding how the COVID-19 has upended everyday life in Samoa

    The Resident Coordinator's Office in collaboration with the Samoa Bureau of Statistics has completed the Socio-Economic Impact Assessment (SEIA) to assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in Samoa. The exercise covered a wide range of topics to understand how the global crisis upended everyday life in Samoa, particularly concerning household income, job loss, government support, access to ...

  13. Samoa: Staff Concluding Statement of the 2021 Article IV Mission

    Washington, DC: COVID-19 has had devastating effects on Samoa's economy, adding to the economic shock experienced from the tragic outbreak of measles in late 2019. The authorities' swift actions and dedicated efforts, supported by the international community, moderated the impacts which have been of historical magnitude.

  14. Support for a stronger Samoa in the wake of COVID-19

    WASHINGTON D.C., December 5, 2020 - The World Bank's Board of Executive Directors today approved US$25 million in grants to support Samoa's social and economic response and recovery from COVID-19 and boost efforts to build resilience to climate change, natural disasters and health-related risks. This financing supports Government measures ...

  15. Samoa locks down after recording its first community COVID-19 case

    The Pacific island nation of Samoa has detected its very first case of community-transmitted COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic, prompting a nationwide lockdown due to being this weekend.

  16. Impact of the Pandemic on Tourism

    Tourism-dependent economies are among those harmed the most by the pandemic Before COVID-19, travel and tourism had become one of the most important sectors in the world economy, accounting for 10 percent of global GDP and more than 320 million jobs worldwide. In 1950, at the dawn of the jet age, just 25 million people took foreign trips.

  17. Summary of the Samoan Rapid Socio-Economic Impact Survey for COVID-19

    Summary document of an online survey conducted by the United Nations in Samoa in June and July 2020. The information is based on 286 responses. 57 percent of respondents were female, 68 percent were between 25 and 44 years old and 76 percent defined themselves as the main family income earner.

  18. No positives for Samoa's tourism industry in 2019-2020

    Samoa's backbone, the tourism industry recorded a decline of WST$375.3 million for financial year 2019-2020. ... The total direct impact to accommodation providers as at the end of May 2020 is over 1000 staff laid off since the closure of borders and businesses. ... With Samoa's Covid-19 vaccine roll-out slated to start in April, some in the ...

  19. COVID-19 survey: Majority of Samoans lost income, struggle with debt

    "Samoa acted quickly and decisively to implement a state of emergency that has prevented the spread of COVID-19 and saved many lives," said Simona Marinescu, UN Resident Coordinator for the Cook Islands, Niue, Samoa and Tokelau. ... the impact of COVID-19 on supply chains and household incomes already appears to have affected food security ...

  20. The post-COVID-19 normal in the Pacific must be digital

    Cook Islands, Niue, Samoa and Tokelau. The post-COVID-19 normal in the Pacific must be digital. Q&A with Jorn Sorensen, UNDP Resident Representative in Samoa (Multi Country Office for Cook Islands, Niue, Samoa & Tokelau) The time is just right, as the Cook Islands, Niue, Samoa and Tokelau will be connected to a submarine fiber-optic cable in ...

  21. Tourism and COVID-19

    Tourism is one of the sectors most affected by the Covid-19 pandemic, impacting economies, livelihoods, public services and opportunities on all continents. All parts of its vast value-chain have been affected. Export revenues from tourism could fall by $910 billion to $1.2 trillion in 2020. This will have a wider impact and could reduce global ...

  22. Support for a stronger Samoa in the wake of COVID-19

    "In a year of considerable challenges for Samoans, we are pleased to support Samoa's efforts to mitigate the economic impacts of COVID-19, protect Samoan families' livelihoods, and boost the ...

  23. United Nations in Samoa: COVID-19 Socio-economic response plan 2020

    At the time the Socio-Economic Response Plan is developed to address the impact of COVID-19 in Samoa, the pandemic has already infected over 22 million people and claimed close to 800,000 lives ...

  24. Short- and long-term effects of domestic tourism promotion in Argentina

    Wang C, Meng X, Siriwardana M, et al. (2022) The impact of COVID-19 on the Chinese tourism industry. Tourism Economics 28(1): 131-152. Crossref. ISI. Google Scholar. Wickramasinghe K, Naranpanawa A (2022) Systematic literature review on computable general equilibrium applications in tourism. Tourism Economics 28(6): 1647-1668.

  25. New Reports Identify Pathways to Build a Climate-Smart Economy in Zimbabwe

    Zimbabwe remains vulnerable to climatic shocks and without adaptation, climate change will impose high costs on the economy, getting progressively larger over time, and this could cost nearly 5 percent of GDP annually by 2050. To mitigate the impact, Zimbabwe can take immediate low-cost and 'no-regrets' climate actions to build resilience and stem emissions growth, including greening the ...