Lady Samoa IIl and Samoa Express discharge full load of people and vehicles at the Salelologa Wharf at the start of the weekend leading up to Christmas Day.
By Staff Writer
The holiday flow of inter-island boat travel between Upolu and Savai’i leaned dominantly at the start to arrivals on the bigger island.
Inter-island ferries Lady Samoa IIl and the Samoa Express were landing full loads of people and cars at the Salelologa Wharf at the weekend before Christmas Day.
Both vessels on the turn around for Mulifanua Wharf raced out again with only a mere fraction of the full loads they had just left behind.
The one-sided travel trend at the outset is of little surprise on the busy holiday route.
The Samoa Shipping Corporation General Manager, Leiataua Samuel Phineas, gave an estimated average of 30 thousand travellers for the holidays.
“This is the busiest period for us every year and at times we’re forced to re-organise our normal scheduling to meet the demand,” Leiataua noted.
Most of the holidaymakers are based in Apia for work purposes, returning to spend time with families in Savai’i.
Overseas holiday arrivals make up another dominant traveling group between the two islands.
“About 40 per cent of the traveling mass are visiting families and friends from mainly New Zealand and Australia, spending their holiday break in Samoa,” Leiataua added.
Family re-unions and chiefly title bestowals are among the main reasons for the flow of overseas travellers into Samoa.
Full loadings reverses after the holidays when the travellers start making their way back to Upolu.