“Tahiti is for Everyone” is the message from this year’s roadshow

It’s exciting to see the way that Tahiti is evolving in the Australian market. This is a result of many years of building the destination through coordinated marketing and promotional initiatives undertaken by Tahiti Tourisme and the start of Air Tahiti Nui direct flights between Sydney and Papeete last year, said Ms Jonica Paramor, Tahiti Tourisme, Regional Director Australia at the Tahiti and Her Islands Roadshow 2006 in Sydney on Monday.   

“Tahiti is perfect for people looking for something different and it’s not just a once in a lifetime holiday,” she said.   

For all too long there have been two major misconceptions about Tahiti: that it’s perceived as being too hard to reach and that’s it’s too expensive, she said. 

Ms Paramor addressed both criticisms during the roadshow by saying that travel time is just seven hours with three non stop flights a week between Sydney and Papeete. 

The ease of access has translated into dramatic increases from Australia with arrivals up an “amazing 86 per cent for April over the same month last year”, she added. 

There were 3382 Australian arrivals from January 1 to 30 April, a 53 per cent increase on the same period last year.  Total arrivals from Australia in 2005 were 9609, a 25 per cent increase on 2004 results. 

Regarding the cost, Ms Paramor said that, “We confront this head on by saying that French Polynesia is not a cheap destination but it offers real value for money.”  Tahiti is affordable but it’s still a premium destination.  It’s no more expensive than some of the top island retreats in Australia or Fiji, she said. 

Tahiti does indeed cater for the very top end but it is also increasingly popular with budget travellers wanting to swim with reef sharks, trek through magnificent valleys, experience ancient Polynesian culture, dive on stunning reefs, parasail across translucent lagoons, surf amazing breaks or just kick back with the beach loving locals in family run pensions, she added. 

Ms Paramor said that the Australian market would continue to grow this year with three new wholesalers coming on board, Tahiti Travel Connections, Harvey’s Choice and Infinity “and more travel agents lining up to join our Tiare special agents program”. 

Tahiti is also experiencing more repeat business with Australians going back to explore other isles in a 118 island group spread out over some four million sq. km of ocean, an area as large as Europe. 

Visitors are also enjoying the “quirkiness of Tahiti” with wineries, pearls and golf among the lesser known aspects of this 2004-proclaimed “Overseas Country” attached to France.  The second golf getaway, an 18 hole resort course currently under construction near the international airport outside Papeete, is due to come to be commissioned by the end of this year. 

The recent wedding and subsequent honeymoon of Nicole Kidman and Keith Urbane at the newly opened St Regis Spa Resort on Bora Bora put French Polynesia in the headlines again as a most desirable destination.  

Wedding and incentives are gaining in popularity though many people are looking for activity based holidays that could include bush walking, kayaking, mountain trail exploring, diving or surfing.  Visitors can pack the day with activities from dawn to dusk or “just fly and flop and do nothing,” she said. 

As well there is a broad range of cruise products available.  From next year Star Clippers will journey to French Polynesia, repositioning Star Flyer to Papeete.  The 170 passenger clipper ship will operate seven night cruises as well as a number of 10 and 11 night cruises that include the Marquesas Islands. 

More and more visitors also now time their travel to Tahiti to coincide with a specific festival, she said.  Details of festivals and much more information is contained in the comprehensive 228 page Tahiti and her islands Travel Planner available from the Tahiti Tourisme Overseas Representative Office in Sydney, tel (02) 9281 6020. 

During the day long event in Sydney that was attended by more than 270 travel agents, wholesalers and trade media, Mr Craig Lee, Regional Director Australia, Air Tahiti Nui emphasised that Tahiti is great for stopovers.  It’s just seven hours from Sydney to Papeete and only another eight hours on to New York, he noted. 

Stopover traffic is growing significantly, he said, with a current stopover package at a premium hotel priced at $69 per person, twin share, he added. 

Mr Lee did add that 70 per cent of the traffic ex Australia is ‘destination Tahiti’, however.  

“While we sell the entire network in Australia, Tahiti is the cornerstone of our operations,” he said.

Responding to a question about launching additional capacity, Mr Lee said that three flights a week is the maximum that Air Tahiti Nui can operate under current traffic rights.   

We intend to explore opportunities to increase frequency with the aim to operate a daily service between Sydney and Tahiti, he added. 

From the Sydney function at the Sofitel Wentworth on Monday the Tahiti and Her Islands Roadshow 2006 moves to the Crown Towers Hotel Casino in Melbourne on Wednesday. 

Exclusive report by ThomasE. King