Tahiti predicts

360,000 tourists a year, and gets ready

By 1976, 360,000 visitors,

consisting of 265,000 air and 95,000 cruise passengers, would visit Tahiti a year, Mr. Alec Ata, director of the Tahiti Tourist

Development Board, said in

Papeete recently.

,^ r ' Ata has drawn up an extensive 1970-75 development plan for Tahiti and the outlying islands of French Polynesia.

Among projects underway is the 18-hole Atimaono golf course to open in July. It was the first of several courses planned during the next five years, he said.

The new 463-seat convention hall in Papeete, site of a travel convention April, provided modern meeting facilities with audio-visual and record ing equipment, instant translation booths for two languages, a print shop, bar and lounge.

More rooms

New international hotel accommo dations would provide an island total of 5,309 rooms, as compared to the 1,249 currently available.

Developments in the Tahiti Iti Peninsula and other areas would in clude home sites (sale subject to im migration regulations) and land and water recreational facilities.

Faa’a International Airport would double in size, increasing from two to six gates to accommodate a half million passengers annually by 1975.

The landing strip already could ac commodate the 747 or DC 10 tri-jet.

Airfields on all possible outer islands were underway. Manihi (northern Societies) was finished and Huahine was in progress. Strips on Tubuai (Australs) and the Mar quesas were also planned.

A massive harbour front renewal and block-by-block reconstruction of Papeete’s shopping district had begun.

A Tahiti Cultural Centre with 800seat auditorium was to be completed by 1975.

UTA, currently with five DCS flights weekly from Los Angeles to the South Pacific, would begin a DC 10 tri-jet service in 1973.