Casino Seen As

[?]Rawcard For

New Caledonia

The building of a casino, the evelopment of water sports, and the ncouragement of native art and olklore would do much to increase ie number of tourists visiting New 'aledonia, according to Mr. Francois ouchet, inspector-general of the rench airline, UTA. 1/fR. BOUCHET believes that a golf course and more tennis aurts would also help Mr. Bouchet visited New Caledonia jcently after attending the Pacific .rea Travel Association conference i Korea.

While in Noumea, he submitted a ;port to the Government on the ;velopment and prospects of tourism i New Caledonia and held a Press inference at which the details of (is report were outlined.

Mr, Bouchet said that although >me 2,500.000 visitors came to the acific area in 1964, only a little over 000 of these stopped in New aledonia.

This, it seemed, was mainly due to

the lack of good hotel accommoda tion, and the fact that Tontouta International Airport was one hour’s drive from Noumea, over a road “not yet completely in order”, which could give a poor impression to visitors.

Mr. Bouchet also thought New Caledonia’s visa formalities were too complicated for many visitors, and that more would come to the territory if these were simplified.

Even so, he estimated that visitors to New Caledonia would increase year by year, and that in five years there would be at least 3,500 New Zealanders. 7,000 to 8,000 Austra lians, 8,000 to 10,000 Americans, and nearly 3,000 round-the-world travel lers going there annually.

TOURIST statistics issued recently by New Caledonia’s Office du Tourisme show that 5,293 tourists visited the territory in 1964—an in crease of 10 per cent, over the pre vious year.

The total was made up of 2,194 New Zealanders, 1,330 Australians, 406 Americans, 842 French, and 513 others, whose average length of stay was 10.9 days.

This total does not include tourists visiting Noumea in cruise ships, of whom there were 10,300 during the year, and 1,797 transit passengers.

Figures for the first quarter of this year show a 55.7 per cent, increase in the number of tourists visiting New Caledonia over the same period last year. The total of 1,819 comprised 599 New Zealanders, 561 Australians, 227 Americans, 257 French, and 175 others, whose average length of stay was 11.2 days, ☆ ☆ ☆ AN airfield being built at Coulnoue, near Hienghene on the east coast of New Caledonia, will be put into service at the end of this year. ☆ ☆ ☆ TEAMS competing in the world spearfishing championship to be held in French Polynesia early in September will compete in New

Caledonia on the way home for a Cup.

This was announced in Tahiti and Noumea in April by Mr. Jacques )umas, president of the French r ederation of Underwater Sports, /ho visited both territories to organise ie two competitions.

The contest for the Pacific Cup 'ill be held from September 8 to 15.

Tie winner will hold the cup for vo years, after which it will again e offered for competition.

The Pacific Cup contest will com ensate New Caledonians for losing le world championship, after taking strenuous efforts to have it ?ld in their territory.

It will be the first time that the lampionship has been held in the acific. So far the exact site of the >ntest has not been decided on, though Rangiroa Atoll in the uamotus, which is linked with Tahiti t air, and Tupai in the Society roup have been mentioned as cely sites.