PAGO PAGO, American Samoa >> American Samoa welcomed some 5,000 visitors when two cruise ships pulled into the Port of Pago Pago.

American Samoa Visitor’s Bureau Executive Director David Vaeafe called today a historic day for the U.S. territory’s tourism development, because it marked the first time two luxury liners were in port at the same time.

Vaeafe says the presence of the liners shows the world that the port can handle two large ships at the same time.

Both ships — the Sapphire Princess and the MS Volendam — have visited the territory in the past.

The Sapphire Princess arrived from Bora Bora in French Polynesian. It’s next port of call is neighboring Samoa. The Volendam arrived from Hawaii and will head to Fiji.