SEVEN GREAT EVENTS AND REASONS TO VISIT SAMOA IN 2016 

In addition to its white sandy beaches, colourful coral reefs and clear blue skies, Samoa has a full calendar of new and annual events for visitors in 2016 to encourage more travellers to help celebrate Samoa's first Visit Samoa Year 2016. The sporting theme is strong in 2016 with the Vailima Marist Samoa 7's, the inaugural Savaii Games, the Five Island Swim, the Stand Up Paddling Super Regatta and the Samoa Swim Series. Visitors looking for a dose of culture can head to the annual Samoan Independence Celebrations or the traditional Teuila Festival.

Vailima Marist Samoa 7s, Samoa's premier 7s tournament, will take place on 19 – 20 February 2016. The tournament, now in its 28th year, is hosted by the Marist St Joseph's Sports Club, which was formed after the 1982 first rugby tour of New Zealand.    

2016 will see the inaugural Savaii Games with events on the 7th, 9th and 16th of April.The three events set for 2016 include the Upolu – Savaii Swim on 7 April 2016, a 22.3 km swim between Samoa's two main islands. On April 9 the one day 180km Around Savaii Bike Challenge will take place, a challenge not for the faint hearted and the first Savaii Marathon will be held on 16 April 2015 - a 42km marathon from the Lava Fields to Salelologa.     

The Five Islands Swim held 11 – 14 May 2016 is a series of five challenging open water swims in four days, the total distance of the swims is 24km. The competitiors will swim to five of Samoa's different islands – Manono, Fanuatapu, Namu'a, Nu'usafe'e and Matautu Island, swimming over coral reefs, amongst spectacular fish and in water temperatures of between 23 and 25 degrees Celsius.

The Stand Up Paddling Super Regatta takes place over 7 nights from 20 August 2016 in three stunning locations around Upolu. The three locations include Lalomanu, Apia and Manono.

This year's Samoa Swim Series will take place from 4 August 2016, giving swimmers of all ages the chance to compete in a variety of open-water races. The race distances vary between 500m and 10km for different age groups with prizes for the winners and medals for all finishers.

In 1962, Samoa became the first South Pacific island to gain independence and in 2016 the 54th Anniversary Samoa Independence Celebrations will take place on Wednesday 01 June. This annual event sees locals come together to celebrate local culture and traditions with a mixture of parades, musical performances and boat races.

Since it was established in 1991, Samoa's Teuila Festival has grown to become one of Samoa's most celebrated annual events and one of the South Pacific's biggest cultural festivals. In 2016 the festival will be from 04 -10 September with an exciting variety of events and activities including choral performances, traditional Siva Samoa and contemporary dance competitions, Chief Fiafia's Polynesian spectacular, Ailao Afi/Fire Knife dancing, Umu (Samoan ground oven) demonstrations, tattooing and carving workshops, and the Miss Samoa Pageant. 

-          ENDS    - 

For more information please contact:

Samoa Tourism Authority

Tel: +44 208 877 4504

E-mail: samoa@representationplus.co.uk

Visit: www.samoa.travel

Notes to editors:

Samoa: The Treasured Islands of the South Pacific

The islands of Samoa - The Treasured Islands of the South Pacific - are the true heart of Polynesia. Ten islands of stunning wild beauty, Samoa - or Independent Samoa as it is now known so as to avoid confusion with American Samoa, is paradise waiting to be explored. From powder-soft beaches to warm tropical seas and colourful coral reefs alive with marine life, its rugged, lush interiors reveal endless wildlife, waterfalls and hiking trails.

Images available upon request.