Tahiti Tourisme brought some of the flavours, sights and sounds to Sydney on Monday for the first of a series of events designed to showcase the Islands of Tahiti and let travel advisors know the Pacific nation craves more Australian business.
Amid Polynesian dancing and Tahitian-inspired fare like coconut poached shrimp and rum-cured salmon, around 70 guests had the chance to connect and reconnect with local suppliers and hear the latest updates straight from the Islands.
And for a country with a slow pace, a lot is happening. Resorts are being refurbished, flights from Auckland recommenced in July, and its tourism leaders are hitting the road hard in an effort to help bring visitors back in a big way.
While Tahiti technically never closed during the pandemic, it officially opened to all international travellers without restrictions on 1 August 2022. With that in mind, Tahiti has Australian travellers on its radar.
Diversification vital for tourism
Speaking to Karryon at the event, Tahiti Tourisme Chief Executive Jean-Marc Mocellin said the country needed to diversify its customer base as it had become too reliant on the American market.
Mr Mocellin said over 50% of visitors to French Polynesia hail from the US, and with Asia and South America still effectively closed off from the islands, Australia and New Zealand became even more integral to the nation’s ambitions.
Among Tahiti Tourisme’s partners at the event were Air Tahiti Nui, Conrad Bora Bora Nui, Hilton Hotel Tahiti, Hotel Kia Ora Resort & Spa, Paul Gauguin Cruises, Pearl Resorts of Tahiti, Tahiti Nui Travel, Sofitel Kia Ora Moorea Beach Resort, South Pacific Management and Tahiti Travel Services.
At the end of the evening, prizes that included a six-night luxury accommodation package staying in Bora Bora, Moorea, and Rangiroa were awarded to the winners of a quiz, who had to be official Tahiti Specialist Agents. A place on a Tahitian industry famil was also given away.
For more information on Tahiti, visit tahititourisme.com.au, or become a Tahiti Specialist at TahitiSpecialist.org.
