South Pacific Cruising & Samoa

This is a new venture for ITMB. Cruising is a rapidly-growing segment of the travel industry, experiencing double-digit growth rates annually. Obviously, this is a thriving market.

South Pacific Ocean Map Details

• In collaboration with several cruise ship lines, ITMB has prepared a detailed map of the South Pacific Ocean.
• Coverage area:
  • Southwards from Hawai'i to the southern tip of New Zealand.
  • Eastwards from central Australia/Papua New Guinea to the Pitcairn Islands.
• Exclusions:
  • The map does not include the popular South East Asia and China coast routes.
• Scale and focus:
  • At 1:12M scale, most of the area covered is water.
  • Island countries such as Fiji, Tonga, Kiribati, Tahiti, and the Cook Islands are visible, though without detailed features.

This map is designed to remain relevant for the end users of the artwork, despite the growing number of cruise travelers—25,000,000 people annually.

Why Focus on the South Pacific?

For readers familiar with Caribbean or Mediterranean cruising, it's important to note that the South Pacific is the fastest-growing region for cruise travel.

• The South Pacific region map fills one side of the artwork.
• Cruise routes:
  • Shown using red dashed lines.
  • Specific cruise line names are not designated, as several lines use the same routes.
• Ocean details:
  • Hill shading is included to depict the deep trenches of the Pacific Ocean.
  • The blue water areas are softened by grey shading for the trenches.

Future plans: ITMB intends to prepare additional cruising titles in the future.

Reverse Side: Samoa Region

The reverse side of the map focuses on the two entities collectively known as Samoa. This region is included for two key reasons:

1. Central location: Samoa is in the heart of the South Pacific, and several cruise companies stop at Pago Pago.
2. Geographical representation:
   • The two Samoas consist of two main islands and two smaller islands.
   • Portrayed at a 1:160,000 scale.
   • Includes an inset map of the capital, Apia.

American Samoa Overview

• American Samoa is one of the areas acquired by the USA during its colonial expansion (similar to Cuba, Hawai'i, the Philippines, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands).
• Territorial characteristics:
  • The territory consists of half a dozen islands, which are rather far apart from one another.
  • The main urban area is Fagatogo, located in Pago Pago Harbour on Tutuila, the only island with an airport.
• Citizenship status:
  • Residents are American citizens but cannot vote, as American Samoa is a 'territory' and not a state—similar to Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands.