28 Jan 2010

Samoa tourism authority says tsunami-hit fales slowly reopen

11:10 am on 28 January 2010

Samoa's tourism authority says two fale-businesses have re-opened their doors to visitors, while bigger resorts are still rebuilding their properties following last year's tsunami.

After the tsunami, many travellers cancelled or postponed their bookings to the country.

New Zealand travel agencies say things have since picked up.

The authority's spokesperson, Tiva Imo, says people in the affected araes are working hard to ensure accomodation.

"There's two that have already re-opened and they have bookings from tourists, but the bigger ones, they are going through the rebuilding process, but they were intending to re-open in the second quarter of this year."

Tiva Imo says November figures show a 10 percent decrease in holiday makers compared to 2008.

Ms Imo says December and January figures have not been released, making statements about whether things have gone back to normal, difficult.