By ADAM BISHOP, Travel Daily editor
“We are not Fiji.”
This was the clarifying phrase I heard several times while in Tahiti recently attending the destination’s Parau Parau tourism conference.
It makes sense that Tahitian tourism stakeholders would want to be absolute in efforts to delineate the difference in value proposition to an Aussie journo; after all, our market is intimately familiar with Pacific vacation options.
Fiji has done a great job to be top-of-mind for Aussie travellers. The country was one of the first out of the box after the pandemic to wave the ‘open’ flag when so many other markets were sluggish to lift restrictions.
Since then, demand has remained high from Australia – especially among families – and it has continued to mature and develop more accommodation capacity, more leisure experiences, and more domestic air connections.
The result of this flourishing love affair, however, has also seen prices rise in the more tourist-centric parts of the country, and travellers are now casting their gaze wider for a vacation, with many dipping their toes in the tropical waters of the Cook Islands, Vanuatu, and even the more fledgling markets of Samoa and Tonga.
As we know though, easy air access is crucial to building tourism volumes.
For Tahiti, this has represented a significant impediment to attracting more Aussie tourists for years, with a limited number of planes in the Air Tahiti Nui fleet preventing direct connections with local ports.
As it stands, travellers from Australia must fly to Auckland via a codeshare deal with Qantas Airways to travel onward to the French Polynesian capital of Papeete, and when there are so many other Pacific alternatives on our doorstep, this is enough of a disincentive to stifle bookings growth.
The total time for the trip under this model is more than 10 hours, but as I learned at Parau Parau, this may all be about to change.
While not confirmed, a plan is on the table at the carrier to return direct services to Sydney, which would be an absolute game changer for Tahiti.
The desire to land on Aussie soil has been on the agenda for quite some time, but with a finite amount of metal, the United States has historically won the Sophie’s choice battle.
But Donald Trump’s America has bulldozed many key norms, and one of those has been the assumed eternal appetite for travel in and out of the United States.
Travel to the US is enduring a well-documented downturn, and American residents, for various social and economic reasons, are also not venturing as far.
This has presented a dilemma for markets like Tahiti, which has always relied upon the US and France as its top source markets.
The destination’s international carrier was recently forced to suspend its twice-weekly Seattle services due to low bookings, with the emerging unpredictability in the United States prompting a renewed effort by Tahiti to diversify its tourism strategy.
A positive aspect of this headwind is a pivot to court more travellers from Australia.
We will soon know whether Air Tahiti Nui gives Papeete-Sydney flights the green light, but either way, we can be assured of greater investment in Australia regardless.
So, why Tahiti over other Pacific markets?
While all destinations claim unique status on culture, the fusion of Polynesian and French customs is a compelling pull factor.
The sincere friendliness from locals on my recent trip was palpable and ubiquitous, and when combined with the allure of stylish French cuisine and penchant for premium touches, it paves the way for an epic luxurious trip to remember.
There are also many islands to explore in French Polynesia outside of the mainstay hubs of Tahiti and Bora Bora, with a short ferry ride to Moorea to take in its volcanic beauty by hiking and snorkelling just one example of that diversity.
One of the popular ways to island hop is to cruise, with the sector growing sharply over the last 10 years.
Not so long ago, Tahiti was chasing cruise brands to improve tourism flows, but fast forward to today and the market is turning away ships it does not feel fit the visitor brief.
It must feel nice to be in such demand.
Sustainability has been at the heart of this cruise growth, so don’t expect to hop aboard large ships to visit the outer islands in Tahiti.
Brands like Ponant Explorations, Windstar Cruises, and Aranui are popular with tourists, with an informal cap of around 500 passengers the sweet spot for most island destinations, so as not to overwhelm the small local populations.
Bora Bora is the only island with a formal hard cap of 1,200 passengers a day.
Tahiti is right to say that it’s not Fiji; for one thing, there is not an abundance of kids’ clubs and traditional family experiences on offer.
That’s not to say the destination is unsuitable for family holidays. Hiking, snorkelling, boat trips, and an endless supply of golden and black volcanic beaches can be enjoyed by all.
But for clients looking for a family resort-style trip, allowing parents to lounge by the pool while the kids are entertained by a plethora of organised activities, Tahiti may not be the sweet spot.
Rather, Tahiti is a perfect destination for the luxury or premium traveller prepared to pay a little extra for a Pacific vacation with a twist. Think couples and honeymooners, or travellers seeking premium disconnection in a Pacific environment.
THE REST OF THE WEEK
By Myles Stedman, Cruise Weekly editor
This week saw a deluge of breaking news, as reporting season entered full swing.
Qantas Airways’ results were perhaps the most eye-popping – and not least because it declared an almost $1.5 billion profit.
The airline also took its first half report to announce the commencement of flights from Sydney to Las Vegas, set to launch in December.
Qantas will become the first airline to ever fly the route, which it will do so aboard its fleet of Boeing 787s.
The timing, while the NRL prepares to play two games in Las Vegas this weekend, was lost on few, and will surely put a smile on the face of the league’s bosses.
Investors were left smiling even wider, as Qantas announced a $71 million profit boost compared to the prior corresponding period.
Domestic worked harder than international this half for Qantas, with that division delivering $1.05 billion in underlying EBIT, up 14%.
Qantas’ key competitor Virgin Australia also delivered a strong result, achieving an underlying EBIT of $490 million for the six months to 31 December.
This result was up 11% on the prior corresponding period, showing Australians’ appetite for air travel is as strong as ever.
Looking internationally, and it seems demand was not quite as strong among Kiwis, leading Air New Zealand to post a first half loss before tax of NZ$59 million (approximately A$50 million).
The NZ flag carrier cited slower-than-expected recovery in domestic demand for the result, among other factors such as global engine maintenance delays and increased aviation system costs.
Changes could be afoot, with new chief executive officer Nikhil Ravishankar committing to a “comprehensive review of all aspects of the business”, as the airline attempts to return to profitability.
Travel retail is still a profitable sector too, with both Flight Centre Travel Group (FCTG) and Helloworld posting first half profits.
FCTG turned over a whopping $12.5 billion in TTV, while Helloworld was no slouch either, posting a healthy $2.1 billion TTV.
Questions were raised about Corporate Travel Management’s results though, with their unaudited numbers citing revenue and other income of $348.5 million, as investors continue to scrutinise the company’s recovery efforts.
Luxury Escapes chief executive officer Adam Schwab lost no time ripping into CTM, calling its churn number “completely inconceivable” and questioning the ASX as to whether it would allow the statement to remain on its website.
Breaking news was not limited to fiscal results though, with the travel industry’s hot stove heating up this week.
Yesterday saw our editorial director Damian Francis break the news of Webjet chief executive officer David Galt stepping down after almost 20 years with the business.
Galt began with Webjet in 2007 as a marketing manager, before stepping into his current position almost 10 years later in 2016.
Going the other way is Abercrombie & Kent Travel Group’s (AKTG) Deb Fox, who was this week promoted to chief sales officer trade sales, just one year after relocating to the United Kingdom to oversee the company’s British operations.
Fox will now be responsible for all trade sales across the company’s variety of brands, including Abercrombie & Kent, Crystal, A&K Sanctuary, Ecoventura, and Cox & Kings.
A sales director position for Cox & Kings is currently among roles being recruited for by AKTG.
Meanwhile, Journey Beyond was at the start of the week named the winning bidder for Kelsian’s tourism portfolio.
The experiential tourism company will inherit Kelsian’s K’gari resorts for $161 million, its SeaLink Sydney Harbour ferry service, the Murray Princess paddle steamer, and other associated operations.
Travel Daily had earlier reported news out of The Australian that Journey Beyond was in a battle with NRMA for the assets, after Kelsian’s divestment was first announced in September.
With all the above in mind, you’ll excuse the Travel Daily editorial team for wanting to give their fingers a rest over the weekend.
