Samoa officials have disputed statements by the President of the Pago Pago Visitors Association that travel agents in Samoa are deliberately discouraging tourists from visiting the country.
Tom Drabble reportedly stated in October that tourists are told in Apia that American Samoa is filthy, there are no nice places to stay and there was nothing for tourists to do here.
He also complained that all the talk about promoting the two Samoa as a single destination was just talk and nothing more.
The CEO of the Samoa Tourism Authority Matatamalii Sonya Hunter says her office has offered to take brochures of local hotels and motels to overseas trade shows.
And she says finds it hard to believe that any tour agent would discourage tourists to come here as they would lose out on a sale for making the tourists' airline and hotel bookings.