French Polynesia to cap tourist numbers at 280,000

Mo'orea and Bora Bora: French Polynesia has proposed a cap on the number of annual arrivals. Photo / Supplied

French Polynesia says it is to cap visitor numbers as part of a sustainability plan.

The islands have proposed an annual cap of 280,000 tourists which came about as part of a strategy to market Tahiti, Bora Bora and the other islands as a destination for high value, small scale tourism.

Part of Fāri'ira'a Manihini 2027, the five-year plan focuses on boutique tourism and slow travel. The strategy tackles areas including air travel, cruise and eco tourism.

Tahiti Tourisme's CEO Jean-Marc Mocellin said that ideally the cap should not exceed 300,000 visitors a year. This would set the ratio of roughly one tourist per inhabitant, he told RNZ on Monday.

"The cost of getting to the Islands of Tahiti makes it an ideal "slow tourism" destination, far from the crowds of mass tourists," said Mocellin in a press release.

Unveiling details of the five year plan 'FM27', Tahiti Tourisme also outlined plans to favour local cruise ships with fewer than 700 passengers.

"The Government of French Polynesia has opted to attract cruise ships of small or medium capacity to base themselves throughout the year in French Polynesian waters," said the tourism body. Although larger ships would be allowed to make "technical stops".

French Polynesia says it will cap the size and number of cruise ships calling into Mo'orea and Tahiti. Photo / File

Tourism recovery still to come

Roughly 90,000 people visited French Polynesia in 2021. Although this was 4 per cent up on the levels of 2020, the islands have a long way to go in their pandemic recovery before the cap comes into effect.

Tahiti and French Polynesia saw a record 299,518 international visitors in 2019. FM27 aims to set the limit just below the pre-pandemic levels.

Proposals for the five year plan began in 2020 and were finalised earlier this year.

Tourism is an important sector for many of the islands in the French overseas territory. President Edouard Fritch assured French Polynesians that tourism would remain "a primary strategic consideration for the well-being of Polynesians".

Talking to local media in August, the president said part of the strategy would include the creation of a "Sustainable Development and Tourism" college in Tahiti.