PACIFIC: Tahiti Tourism Up 28 Percent

TAHITI TOURISM UP 28 PERCENT

PAPEETE, Tahiti (Tahitipresse, Aug. 25) - Aided by an improved American 
market, Tahiti welcomed 96,992 visitors during the first half of 2003, an 
11.5 percent increase over the 86,987 visitors for the same period a year 
ago, giving Tahiti a net six-month increase of 10,005 visitors.

The latest statistics made public by the French Polynesia Tourism Ministry 
suggest that if the visitor volume continues during the second half of the 
year at the same pace as the first half, Tahiti could end up with nearly 
194,000 visitors for the year. That would be a healthy improvement over last 
years result of 189,030 visitors, the first yearly visitor volume below 
200,000 since 1998.

Last year, the 31,475 fewer American mainland visitors for the entire year 
accounted for 81 percent of the 38,628 fewer overall visitors for the year. 
However, this year the 7,374 more American mainland visitors through June 
accounted for 74 percent of the 10,005 more overall visitors for the first 
six months.

"Since the beginning of the year, North Americans have once again found their 
pre-11 September optimism despite an economic slowdown caused by the war in 
Iraq," said Paul Sloan, director of marketing and promotions for the Tahiti 
Tourisme North American office in Los Angeles.

The result is a 28 percent increase in the volume of North American visitors 
to Tahiti during the first half of 2003. Besides the 7,374 more U.S. 
Mainlanders, there were 1,605 more visitors from Canada, but 85 fewer 
visitors from Hawaii, according to the Tourism Ministry statistics.

Trying to capitalize on the positive travel attitude of North Americans 
today, Tahiti Tourisme has decided to launch its annual promotion campaign 
earlier than usual. "We had the habit of starting up our campaign in 
November. In view of the situation, we are going to launch a campaign 
starting in early October," Sloan said.

The campaign’s message will be simple. The accent will be on the security of 
Tahiti as a destination, Sloan said. Romance and peacefulness are the key 
values that attract North American visitors today, he said. They particularly 
appreciate the "hidden paradises", such as the Tuamotu atolls of Fakarava and 
Rangiroa and the Leeward Islands of Huahine and Taha’a.

Tahiti Tourisme has prepared special promotional messages for "these hidden 
paradises", Sloan said. Other messages appearing at the same time will 
promote the island of Tahiti by itself.

The campaign will also promote Tahiti year-round, trying as much as possible 
to erase the idea of a "dry season and wet season". Instead, the campaign 
will insist on a low season from November to March, Sloan said. That is one 
of the five directions outlined by Dany Panero, Tahiti Tourisme chief 
executive, when presenting her 2003 tourism development plan early this year.

"What a pity to talk of a wet season because French Polynesia’s sunny weather 
during the whole year is more than any other competitive destination," Sloan 
said.

Tahiti & Her Islands are the third favorite destination for North American 
honeymooners after Hawaii and Mexico.

Following the tragic events of Sept. 11, 2001, only 60,000 North Americans 
visited Tahiti, compared with nearly 100,000 the previous year.

During the first half of 2003, the increased volume of visitors included 
1,095 more non-French Europeans, 1,743 more French and 241 more Australians, 
according to the Tourism Ministry statistics. Although the Japanese market 
still has not completely recovered, it produced 9,380 first semester 
visitors, or 1,596 fewer than a year ago.

August 27, 2003

Tahitipresse: www.tahiti.com 


SOURCE: Pacific Islands Report