Arts fes committee exploring 'floating hotel' to house visitors
by Fili Sagapolutele
Samoa News Correspondent
10th Pacific Arts Festival Organizing Committee co-chair Fagafaga Daniel Langkilde said the committee is exploring the possibility of having a cruise ship anchor here during the festival for use as a floating hotel.
"The reason for this idea is that the committee is getting indication from visitors who want to come, but all hotels are booked," said Fagafaga. "We are hearing a lot of them saying that they want to come and stay in a hotel style accommodation, and not the homestay program."
Fagafaga said the committee then looked into a cruise ship belonging to a cruise liner in Hawai'i, but found out the cruise ship was not available.
During a recent trip to Honolulu, Fagafaga said he met with an "official of a particular cruise liner" to discus this project.
"The official is taking this idea back to their corporate office and will get back to us," said Fagafaga. He said it's premature to reveal the identity of the cruise liner until there is solid commitment from the company.
Hotels are booked for VIP and other government officials attending the festival. Motels and other bed and breakfast facilities are also booked.
As for the homestay program, Fagafaga said there are also many visitors interested, and the Office of Tourism is putting together a list of local home owners interested in the program.
The homestay project allows visitors to stay with local families for a fee and the committee is looking for a house or houses, rooms in a house or a separate guest house that can be rented out to visitors.
The committee is looking for available space anytime from July 15 to Aug. 7 for this program.
FESTIVAL BUDGET
Revisions are being made to the festival budget before it is submitted to the executive board for a final vote.
A special meeting on Friday discussed revisions in which funds were moved around from one festival subcommittee to another, Fagafaga said.
"I am now tasked with the responsibility of putting the revisions together and then it will be presented to the board for their review in the next week or so," Fagafaga said, shortly after Friday's meeting.
He said the preliminary budget is still around $4 million and the food voucher program remains the biggest expenditure so far at about $1.4 million but he noted that this amount could be reduced slightly after final revisions.
The food voucher program is for the 2,000 delegates attending the festival slated for July 20-Aug. 2.
Last month the board approved the food voucher value at $35 per day, per person, for three meals - breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Asked whether there were any new contributions made recently for the festival, Fagafaga said no, but the committee has received information from several companies that are planning to make contributions.
Reach the reporter atfili@samoanews.com.
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