Tahiti falls 874 visitors short of equally last year’s 212,767 tourists
(Tahitipresse) - Tahiti fell 874 visitors short last year of equaling the 2003 visitor volume as a result of nearly 5%
fewer North American visitors and nearly 6.5% fewer French visitors during 2004, according to statistics provided by the
French Polynesia Tourism Ministry Tuesday.
Tahiti finished 2004 with 211,893 visitors, 874 fewer than the 212,767 visitors recorded in 2003, a drop of 0.41%. But
last year’s volume was 22,863 more visitors than the 189,030 visitors for 2002.
Two different governments over the past year both set the goal of 300,000 yearly visitors by 2007.
2004 ended with totally negative 4th quarter results
Tourism got off to a slow start last year with 1,132 fewer first quarter visitors compared with 2003. Things picked up
in the second quarter with 2,389 more tourists than 2003’s second quarter and continued in the third quarter with 2,093
more visitors than a year earlier.
But the final quarter of 2004 was totally negative with 4,223 fewer visitors than the same period of 2003.
North America, Tahiti’s N° 1 market, produced 79,264 visitors last year, 4,027 fewer than 2003, or a drop of 4.83%. The
U.S. Mainland, the main source of North American visitors, produced 71,447 tourists last year, 4,161 fewer than 2003, or
a drop of 5.5%.
Rest of Europe produced 2,748 more visitors
France, Tahiti’s N° 2 market, produced 45,069 visitors last year, 3,108 fewer than a year ago, or a drop of 6.45%.
However, the rest of Europe produced 34,435 visitors last year, 2,748 more than a year ago, or an increase of 8.67%.
The top three European markets outside of France last year were Italy, the United Kingdom and Germany. Italy produced
10,278 visitors, 1,065 more than last year. The UK produced 8,050 visitors, 846 more than a year ago. Germany produced
4,412 visitors, 247 more than 2003.
Japan, Tahiti’s N° 4 market behind North America, France and the rest of Europe, produced 23,630 visitors for Tahiti
last year, 748 more than a year ago, or an increase of 3.27%.
New Zealand market produced 26% more visitors
The New Zealand market had a good year in 2004, producing 7,721 visitors for Tahiti, 1,615 more than a year ago, or an
increase of 26.45%. Australia, however, only had a slightly better year in 2004 with 7,687 visitors for Tahiti, 181 more
than a year ago.
Tahiti’s tourism industry is anxiously waiting for Air Tahiti Nui’s early July start up of non-stop flights to Tahiti
from New York and Sydney. Both routes are expected to boost the volume of visitors for North America and Australia
during 2005.