The Islands of Tahiti ambition is to become a leader in the

Inclusive and sustainable tourism

The Islands of Tahiti new tourism development strategy, dubbed “Fāri’ira’a Manihini 2027” (FM27) unveils an ambitious action plan that protects natural resources, maximises the benefits of tourism for the local population and prioritises a quality experience for visitors.

Published on 20 December 2022

Towards responsible tourism

Fari’ira’a Manihini 2027 (or FM27) is the tourism development strategy which, over the next five years, aims to position French Polynesia(The Islands of Tahiti) as a flagship destination for inclusive and sustainable tourism. This roadmap was co-constructed with the local population and public and private tourism stakeholders as part of a collaborative approach initiated by the French Polynesian Ministry of Tourism.

Fari’ira’a Manihini 2027 makes the preservation of the destination’s environment and culture absolute priorities, while enhancing the visitor experience. The economic and cultural needs of the population are at the heart of the strategic development of the territory, which comprises 118 islands and atolls in the South Pacific. One of the main thrusts of the strategy is to manage the flow of tourists, which is expected to reach 280,000 visitors by 2027. This threshold would make it possible to maintain the objective of a ratio of one inhabitant to one visitor, the current population being 278,781 according to the latest census (2022).

“The Islands of Tahiti must remain a ‘Slow Tourism’ destination – a little slice of paradise with exceptional service, focused on experiences, culture and meeting the local people.”

Jean-Marc Mocellin, Managing Director of Tahiti Tourisme

Consult and download the strategy

The President of French Polynesia, Édouard Fritch, reiterated his particular commitment to responsible growth, focused on preserving and improving the environment and lifestyles of Polynesians in each of the different tourist areas that make up the destination, in all its diversity.

“The aim of Fari’ira’a Manihini 2027 is to ensure that a genuine and sincere bond is strengthened between those who come from elsewhere and those who, here, accept to welcome them”.

declares President Fritch in the preamble

With 236,000 tourists expected in 2019, French Polynesia, far from mass tourism, is aiming to become a responsible destination, favouring quality over quantity. The country is in favour of longer stays and wishes to better distribute the benefits and tourist flows over the different islands that have development potential, in order to limit the pressure on the busiest ones. This will also ease the pressure on the best-known islands, such as Tahiti, Moorea and Bora Bora, while allowing visitors to discover lesser-known islands that are no less beautiful and attractive. If this strategy is successful, this limit could be re-evaluated in 2027.

In addition to visitor numbers, over 95 actions and 40 sub-actions have been identified, ranging from waste management and the extension of WIFI networks to the development of eco-tourism parks and walking trails.

“With the international reputation of The Islands of Tahiti , we are fortunate not to yet be a mass tourism destination. The anticipated growth in tourism activity has revealed the need to adopt a form of tourism that is both sustainable and targeted.”
“From an investor’s perspective (current and future), it is reassuring to know that the destination will adopt a firm strategy to avoid overtourism, which could potentially devalue any investment.”

according to Jean-Marc Mocellin

The strategy was drawn up in 2020, during the difficult period at the start of the pandemic, when The Islands of Tahiti was faced with an unprecedented global health crisis shaking up the destination’s most crucial sector, its main economic asset. Despite the health constraints, collaborative projects and participatory workshops brought together more than 400 participants from all walks of life to define a global vision for the future of tourism in French Polynesia.

The roadmap is accompanied by other concrete initiatives designed to address concerns about the impact of tourism on the Polynesian territory. For example, the country will be conducting a study in collaboration with the French Environment and Energy Management Agency (ADEME) to determine the carbon footprint of the Polynesian tourism sector. The results of this study will be made public at the end of 2023.

GSTC Member

This detailed roadmap also follows on from previous initiatives announced by the government aimed at controlling cruise ship capacity and extending marine environmental protection measures to Tahiti & Her Islands. Tahiti Et Ses Îles is also committed to following the tourism strategy established by the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC), following the example of the SPTO (Pacific Tourism Organisation) tourism strategy, of which The Islands of Tahiti is a member.

All you need to know about Fāri’ira’a Manihini 2027 on www.fm27.pf

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