Travelbeat Inside Information Update: April 30, 2008 AUSTRALIAN VISITORS CHANGE THE WAY THEY LOOK AT TAHITI Australian travellers are changing the way in which they explore tropical Tahiti. “Tahiti has always been, and always will be, a perfect destination for couples to take romantic holidays in idyllic surrounds,” said Craig Lee, Regional Director Australia for Air Tahiti Nui, the international airline of Tahiti and Her Islands. “But now that Australians are familiar and comfortable with the destination, they are expanding the visitor demographic to include families,” said Mr Lee. “Australian visitors are also becoming more adventurous in the way they explore Tahiti, increasingly venturing beyond the traditional locations of Papeete, Moorea and Bora Bora to some of the more remote islands of the region,” he said. “And with close to 120 islands to choose from, there is no shortage of new experiences.” Mr Lee said a key reason for the growth in family visits was the increasing number of Air Tahiti Nui passengers stopping over in Tahiti en route to Los Angeles, New York or Europe. “Tahiti offers a mix of Polynesian culture, French language and magnificent tropical environment, and that is proving to be a great drawcard combination for families, as well as for couples,” he said. Greater awareness of the outer islands of Tahiti was also generating increased travel to destinations such as Huahine, Raiatea, Taha’a, Rangiroa and the most distant of the Tahitian islands, the Tuamotus and the Marquesas. “While the key resorts remain very popular on the islands of Tahiti, Moorea and Bora Bora, a growing number of travellers are seeking more remote and more traditional Tahitian adventures,” said Mr Lee. “Cruising, also, is gaining popularity among Australian visitors, with a growing range of options to choose from.” Air Tahiti Nui offers four weekly flights from Sydney to Papeete – two nonstop flights, every Thursday and Saturday, and one-stop services via Auckland each Friday and Monday. Flights are operated with three-class Airbus A340-300 aircraft (pictured), in which all passengers have personal screens for movies and interactive games, and cabin service is based on traditional Tahitian hospitality. For the past 5-years, the airline has been named “Best Pacific Airline” in the global Skytrax Awards for Airline Excellence. (Asia Pacific Public Relations) Back to Front Page