Hspatch Centre"
pp. 59-61 · Read in the full issue
Ahiti Seen As
Uture "Tourist
As tourism develops in French olynesia over the next few jars, Tahiti will increasingly be >me “a sort of dispatching mtre” for visitors to other lands, according to Mr. Gerard illoteaux, director of the Tahiti
ourist Development Board.
Mr. Gilloteaux said this in Tahiti November at a Press conference r overseas journalists on the mgural flight of Air New Zealand.
The return of Air New Zealand Tahiti after an absence of four ars means that there are now four ;ernational air carriers serving the and, and that the number of inter tional air services to Tahiti a ek has been increased from 16 18.
Mr. Gilloteaux said that the mber of tourists visiting Tahiti had creased from 1,500 in 1959 to ,200 in 1966, and that by 1970 ipping and air services were ex ited to be bringing in 45,000 irists a year.
As Tahiti would thus be a good al more crowded than it was now, would probably develop into a patch centre for the other :hipelagoes.
New airstrips
Mr. Gilloteaux said that by 1970, :h archipelago in French Poly da, except the Marquesas, would ve at least one airstrip, and tourists iuld be able to see much more of ; territory than they conveniently aid now.
He said that plans were in hand build airstrips on Tubuai and lahine, and to enlarge the recently sned strip on Moorea.
At present, Tahiti, Moorea, Bora ra and Raiatea could provide beds ' 700 visitors at a time. But the instruction of two new hotels on hiti—at Taharaa Hill overlooking itavai Bay, and at Outou Macro— uld greatly increase the accom )dation available.
Mr. Gilloteaux said that the Hotel haraa was being built by PanAm/ ercontinental and that at Outou
oro by French interests. There ; also an option to build a further el near Outou Macro; and Ameri interests had leased a small islet the lagoon at Tahaa for a hotel. dr. Gilloteaux added that last year fists in French Polynesia were mated to have spent a total of million Pacific francs (SA4 lion) in the territory, and to have 'ed an average length of seven s. -IE occupancy rate at The Fijian, the recently opened resort hotel Fiji’s Yanuca Island, has not yed quite as high so far as its moters hoped for, but things are ting up for the new year.
Advance bookings are now com in at an excellent rate,” the laging director, Mr. Peter imer, said in mid-November, “and hotel is 60 per cent, sold out for month of January, so it looks we switch from red ink to black after the Ist of the year.” he Fijian is owned by the same ip which owns the Mocambo and lodge Hotels, and it seems that resounding success of those hotels le them over-optimistic about the y occupancy rate of the Fijian, he Mocambo, Skylodge and m properties are estimated to be th about SUS2i million, he original investors—several Pan irican World Airways employees arted with an investment of ),000.
IE ketch, Viking Ahoy, which has been in Fiji since 1948, when it used as a “prop” in the filming “Blue Lagoon” will become a ist vessel. he owner, Mr. B. H. Rubber, of jrcargill, NZ, has formed a com y, Viking Ahoy Golden Sands rter Cruises Ltd., which will use ketch for charter cruises for ists. he Viking Ahoy was built in Bris -2 in 1939 by Mr. Les White, and sent to Fiji in 1948 for the film.
M excise tariff proposal to exempt from excise duty supplies used passengers and crew aboard over vessels while in Australia ;rs was introduced in the Aus an House of Representatives on >ber 31. he concessions will apply to such Js as cigarettes and liquor from iary 1, 1968.