The South Pacific Cruise Alliance has elected David Vaeafe from American Samoa as its new Chairman.
Outgoing Chairman, Ollivier Amaru, from French Polynesia, who has held the position since SPCA was formed in 2010 said that passing on the baton of the Chairman to David will positively enhance the partnership sealed between the South Pacific Cruise Alliance and the South Pacific Tourism Organisation at Seatrade Cruise Global in Fort Lauderdale, Florida earlier this year.
“It makes no doubt that David’s strong involvement within SPTO as a Board Member as well being on the SPCA Board will help grow the Alliance for its members,” he said.
“I look forward to taking on the Chairman role and working to grow the organization, partnering with other relevant Associations like with the New Zealand Cruise Association as co-members of each other organisations, and working to grow the cruise market and increase deployment of ships in the South Pacific Region,” said Vaeafe.
SPCA members include Pitcairn Island, French Polynesia, Cook Islands, American Samoa, Samoa, Kingdom of Tonga and Fiji and cruise related businesses and ports from each nation.
While Ollivier may have stepped down from the helm of SPCA, his passion and commitment to developing the cruise tourism industry in the South Pacific, he will still provide technical assistance to members.
David Vaeafe is Executive Director of the American Samoa Visitors Bureau takes over as SPCA Chairman this month.
The SPCA Secretariat currently housed in Pape’ete, French Polynesia will also move to Pago Pago, American Samoa in the New Year.