Sun, sand, and beach fale: benefiting from backpackers - the Samoan way

Abstract

In Samoa, the development of large hotels and resorts has often been thwarted by landowners who refuse to let control of their communally-held resources slip out of their hands. As an alternative livelihood strategy local families have built low-cost beachfale accommodation (consisting of thatched, open-sided beach huts) in prime beach side locations. These beach fale have proven to be popular with backpackers who, contrary to dominant discourses on contemporary backpacker culture, are generally considered by their hosts to be courteous and culturally-sensitive. Although, beach fale tourism attracts backpackers and domestic tourists rather than high-spending tourists, it contributes greatly to development because most economic benefits are retained locally, it is based upon local skills and resources, it involves cultural education of guests, and it does this all in the context of high levels of local ownership and participation. An important implication of this research is that government planners should not be indifferent to the potential value of budget-style tourism, as in certain circumstances backpackers can play a significant role in supporting locally controlled forms of tourism which meet social and economic development objectives.