LGBTQI+ | Tahiti Tourisme's corporate website

A welcoming destination

for LGBTQI+ travellers

Across its 118 islands, Tahiti Et Ses Îles offers a rich culture that embraces diversity and inclusivity for all visitors looking for an unforgettable travel experience. In French Polynesia, it’s important to ensure that people can experience a safe and friendly destination that celebrates love and equality. Tahiti Et Ses Îles is committed to providing a welcoming atmosphere for all LGBTQI+ visitors through the adoption of progressive local laws and social acceptance of the population.

The Welcome Test

Our promotional video

To ensure that the campaign truly reflected the welcome and experience of the LGBTQI+ travel community, Tahiti Tourisme collaborated with agency Circul8 to create, “The Welcome Test”, in partnership with Air Tahiti Nui. This initiative invited real LGBTQI+ travellers to evaluate their experience of travelling to Tahiti Et Ses Îles.

The selected group included a range of LGBTQI+ profiles, from American lesbian couples to transgender Japanese friends. The film crew followed the group for ten days as they experienced all the highlights that a stay in Tahiti Et Ses Îles has to offer. From learning traditional dance in Tahiti, to snorkelling in the lagoon of Bora Bora, they were free to travel and interact with the local population, without having to worry about hiding their identity.

At the end of their stay, the group shared their impressions in interviews, unanimously expressing their deep gratitude for the tolerance andwarm welcome they received from the local population. They emphasised the extent to which they felt free to be themselves, without any fear of judgement. This experience confirmed that Tahiti & Her Islands offers a haven where everyone is truly valued for who they are.

Tahiti Tourisme also won the PATA Gold Awards 2024 for this campaign, in the “Marketing Campaign – National Tourism Organisation Pacific” category.

Sébastien & Diego

Sébastien and Diego have been a couple for 15 years and live together in Paris. They like to travel to quiet places in the middle of nature where they can discover the local culture. They wanted to visit Tahiti Et Ses Îles to see if it was the tropical paradise they had imagined. They were also intrigued by the idea of māhū and raerae in Tahitian culture. They had a life-changing holiday experience.

Yuma & Mizuki

Yuma and Mizuki are friends from Tokyo, Japan. Both trans men, they enjoy travelling to LGBTQI+ destinations and wanted to experience the culture and open-mindedness of Tahitians. Like many trans people, they thought about how the locals might react to them and didn’t feel comfortable swimming in a swimming costume. Once there, they were delighted to be welcomed everywhere and spent hours snorkelling and va’aing without worrying about how others would look at them.

Jess & Jen

Jess and Jen are a married couple from Syracuse, New York, USA. They are both tattoo artists and together own a tattoo parlour. They enjoy holidays where they can both relax and have adventures. They were eager to discover the LGBTQI+ culture of Tahiti & Her Islands. Jen got a traditional tattoo of a manta ray she saw, a memory that will stay with her forever.

Legalisation of marriage for all

Legal protections

Marriage for all was legalised and applied for the first time in 2013, when the first same-sex wedding took place on the island of Moorea on 8 July. Marriage equality was an important milestone, as Tahiti And Her Islands was one of the first destinations in the South Pacific region to legalise marriage equality. The law has helped to further cultivate inclusive values and extend them with a positive and welcoming attitude towards the LGBTQI+ community. In French Polynesia, LGBTQI+ couples enjoy the same rights as any other couple, including protection from discrimination and the legal adoption of children.

Gender diversity

In Polynesian culture, a third gender is recognised: people who identify with it are known as“māhū”. This term refers to individuals who embody both masculine and feminine qualities, blurring the boundaries between traditional gender roles. Another expression of gender identity in culture is“raerae”, which is a person assigned male at birth but who is a woman, most closely linked to transgender women in Western cultures. The presence of‘raerae’ and‘māhū’ people in Polynesian society highlights the importance of acceptance and understanding in Tahiti And Her Islands.

A commitment to equality and inclusion

Since the legalisation of marriage for all over 10 years ago, Tahiti & Her Islands has taken significant steps towards the inclusion and recognition of LGBTQI+ rights.

In 2023, the first forum on gender equality and the rights and protection of LGBTQI+ people was held. In the same year, the LGBTQI+ flag was raised at the Presidency and a member representing the LGBTQI+ community was also appointed to the Economic, Social, Environmental and Cultural Council (CESEC) – a local institution that acts as an advisor to public, executive and legislative authorities.

Finally, every year since 2023, the “Cousins Cousines” association has organised Tahiti Pride Week: a week to celebrate LGBTQI+ pride and provide a platform for dialogue and education on issues of inclusivity for this community.

All these actions underline Tahiti & Her Islands ‘ commitment to fighting discrimination against this community and building a more inclusive and respectful society, whatever the sexual orientation or gender identity of each person.

Tahiti Tourisme member of the IGLTA

Tahiti Tourisme is a member of the International LGBTQ+ Travel Association (IGLTA). Founded in 1983, the IGLTA is the world’s leading network of LGBTQ+ friendly tourism organisations. The organisation provides free travel resources and information, while continually working to promote equality and safety in LGBTQ+ tourism worldwide. IGLTA members include LGBTQ+ accommodation, transport, destinations, service providers, travel agents, tour operators, events and media from over 80 countries.