Corinne Juillet, Deputy Manager France and Europe, New Caledonia Tourism Point Sud (NCTPS)

Corinne Juillet: This is a complex question as the image varies from one country to another. We still have to fight the common idea that New Caledonia is just another island’s paradise in the Pacific rim with white sand beaches, palm trees and blue sea waters. Of course we do have this product but we have so much more than this “ perfect postcard” picture. We have a very large territory with red-earth desert, green spaces, lush forests. Metropolitan French probably have the most defined image of New Caledonia. TV shows such as “Koh Lanta” were broadcast in France and helped to boost the image of our destination.

While French will have a strong interest for the cultural aspect of New Caledonia, we know that Germans will look for a more sustainable, environment friendly holiday; British will show their interest for sea-related activities. We work to promote niche markets such as trekkers, seniors, families and generally people who wants to enjoy a different experience and have time. We also position ourselves increasingly for honeymoon trips. This segment is for example extremely popular among Japanese.

TDN: Japan used to be indeed the second largest market for New Caledonia after France. How do you explain its recent decline and what is the Japanese perception about the territory?
CJ: I am not a specialist of the Japanese market but I can provide a few information. First, it is true that Japan total arrivals have shown a decline in recent years, going down from 35,000 in 1998 to only 17,500 last year. I believe that we did in the past some strategic mistakes in terms of promotion. We for example emphasized a lot social networks but realize later that Japanese travellers still rely a lot on advertising from printed media. But my colleague inTokyo told me that we are now looking at Japan as a priority market. New Caledonia has many assets for Japanese such as the French touch, UNESCO world heritage site, white sand beaches which are favoured by Japanese honeymooners. We also want to target individual female office workers, who are an excellent market segment.

TDN: Could you give some details about new tourism infrastructure being currently developed?
CJ: They are many projects which have recently been completed or which are close to completion. A good example is for example Noumea La Tontouta international airport which has been upgraded. The brand new terminal is able to accommodate up to four aircraft simultaneously and offers the same international standards than major airports in the region. In the hotel sector, they are two important projects: the rebranding of a former Best Western into the Hilton Nouméa, La promenade Résidence next July will certainly bring more international awareness to our destination. A major development is the arrival of the Sheraton in Gouaro Deva, located one hour and a half from the international airport. It will have 180 rooms and should open by the end of the year. This is the largest tourism project to date on the territory as it is the first fully integrated resort.

The resort will be located along the New Caledonian lagoon which has the world’s second-largest coral reef system. It will offer many sea-related activities will include diving, snorkeling, sailing, windsurfing, jet skiing, waterskiing, wakeboarding, and kite surfing. A new 18-hole golf course is also being developed by one of the world’s top golf designer. Once opened, we will have one of the most luxurious resorts of the Pacific area.

We are also developing new trekking trails all around the country. One of the most ambitious projects to date is a great trekking trail linking the North to the South of “Grande Terre”, our main Island. This will be a trail representing a length of over 400 km.

TDN: What are the cultural assets of New Caledonia?
CJ: The Jean-Marie Tjibaou Cultural Centre, on the Tinu Peninsula some eight kilometres of Noumea is a must-do for visitors who will learn all about the local Kanak culture. Celbrating the traditional Kanak culture, the centre was built by world renowned architect Renzo Piano. This is a spectacular venue. Another highly interesting cultural experience is to spend a night in one of New Caledonia ethnic tribes. Combined with a trekking, it provides an excellent opportunity to learn all about Kanak traditional cultures. Comfort in private guest houses is generally limited but this will give a real authentic experience to interested travellers. Our visitors will then be able to learn more about locals and their traditions.

Sourced: TravelDailyNews