One of the areas that the Visit American Samoa Association wants to tackle first is to make it easier for visitors to enter the territory.
Current immigration requirements, according to the chairman of the VASA subcommittee in charge of immigration, Local Manager of Talofa Airways Tone Tamalii says airlines are losing passengers because of cumbersome immigration regulations and the economy is losing out on visitor spending.
He said it takes 48 hours for the Attorney General’s Office to process approvals for visitors form countries on the Visa Waiver Program to enter the territory. And this is not ideal for business people and visitors who need to make a quick trip to the territory.
He said a lot of local businesses which bring in personnel from off island to conduct training and do short work stints here are dissatisfied with the process.
The Immigration Subcommittee has been collecting information on how the OK Board and entry permit policies are being received by visitors and also businesses and the general community.
VASA hopes that they will be able to construct informed suggestions for reform of current policies.
In his report at the VASA general meeting last night, Tamalii said the need to protect the territory’s borders is understandable however there needs to be a discussion with the Attorney General’s Office on how the policies can be improved to make the experience easier for visitors.
He said the economy benefits from visitor spending.
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The airline official said Senator Faiivae Alex Godinet was at Fagalii Airport in Apia recently when 5 five New Zealand citizens were denied boarding on a flight to American Samoa due to the immigration policies.
And this resulted in a hearing with the AG during which the Leone Senator expressed concern about the effects of the immigration regulations on local businesses,.
Tamalii said it appeared that there were shortcomings in enforcement of the immigration policies.
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