‘We’ve now set up samoatours.com, a platform where our guests can go on line and book,’ says Vee Palepoi, one of the company’s managers. ‘We can customise the experience and charge on line.

‘We also have an affiliate programme for agents, using the same successful format we have for Hawaii Tours.’

Palepoi says that agents can register with an email address and log-in.

‘They send their clients to the platform and when the guest books it registers from the agent’s link. We fulfil the order and during the reconciliation we pay 8% to 10% commission. It’s hands free for the agent but they still get the commission.’

Palepoi says the affiliates programme has been introduced to most agents at this week’s Samoa Tourism Exchange for the first time.

‘We are expecting it to be even more successful than Hawaii because it has been harder for guests to book themselves tours in Samoa up to now.’

Samoa Tours currently has six products on the site but is working to add vendors and expand the offering.

(See page 6 for more on Samoa Tourism Exchange)