Huge hotel venture for Apia
p. 63 · Read in the full issue
“Agreement in principle” was reached in May between the Western Samoan Government and a Seattle businessman, Mr. R. H. Hadley, and American investors for construction of a SUSIS million hotel-resort complex at Taumesina, one mile east of Samoa’s capital, Apia, on the island of Upolu.
Mr. Hadley was in Apia discussing with government officials details of the project, which would be by far Samoa’s biggest tourism venture.
He returned after the talks to the US to “proceed with plans to finance the plan”.
First stage of the project would be a 100-room hotel, costing $1.5 million. Government offered a 60-year lease on the hotel site, with an additional 20 years available should the hotel reach a size of 250 rooms within the first 20 years.
This initial hotel investment would rise to $l5 million over 20 years with money going into associated tourist projects nearby. PIM understands no actual agreement has yet been signed between Mr.
Hadley and the government.
And if Western Samoa continues to receive the kind of increase in numbers of tourists it has been getting lately, there should be no trouble in filling those rooms in the Apia hotel venture.
Western Samoa in the first month of this year increased its tourist arrivals by almost 50 per cent, from 696 in January 1969, to 1,022 this year. With last year’s totals for both Samoas at around 14,000 each, predictions are that by 1972, Western Samoa will have about 27,000 a year and American Samoa, about 34,000.
Average age of those staying in Western Samoa during January was a low 47.3 years. From the US came 537 people; from Europe, 108; from NZ, 88; the UK, 67 and from Australia a surprisingly low 64.