Orient-Express and Bora Bora Cruises Partnership
Air Tahiti Nui Announces NY Flights for 2005
Radisson Plaza Resort Tahiti Appoints Executive Chef
Le Meridien Hotels Updates
Tahiti Manava Launches Public Awareness Campaign
Air Moorea Announces Additional Flights

Orient-Express and Bora Bora Cruises Announce Partnership

Orient-Express has agreed to a sales and marketing partnership with Bora Bora Cruises, offering the Tahiti based luxury yacht cruise company the marketing support of Orient-Express' sales offices around the world.

Dean Andrews vice president, Orient-Express Hotels, Trains and Cruises' North America, said: "Both the yachts and the resort are dedicated to offering travelers a luxury boutique experience where the limited number of guests enables us to offer special touches, ranging from star gazing on top of a look-out at the resort to a cinema under the stars on a private island during your cruise."

Source: World Leisure News & Jobs

Air Tahiti Nui announced on April 28 that it will begin the first-ever non-stop service between New York and Papeete, Tahiti's capitol and inter-island transportation hub. The 3 times weekly service, on Thursdays, Saturdays, and Mondays, will be inaugurated in July, 2005, a few weeks after Air Tahiti Nui receives its fifth A-340-300, "Nuku Hiva". The announcement was made by Air Tahiti Nui's CEO, Geffry Salmon, in Los Angeles at Tahiti Tourisme's Annual Travel Industry Business Forum. The news was warmly received by participants who are jointly developing strategies to achieve Tahiti Tourisme's goal of increasing annual visitor arrivals to 300,000 by 2007.

"Air Tahiti Nui is proud to announce the future linking of New York and Papeete," Wally Sumner the airline's Vice President - North America said. "This convenient non-stop flight will open a new market to Tahiti and make our idyllic destination attractive to Northeast U.S. leisure travelers," he added. The 6,289 statute mile sector will be flown in approximately 12 hours 30 minutes aboard Air Tahiti Nui's high technology A-340-300's, commercial aviation's long-haul leader. The comfortable 4-engine jetliners are the traveling public's preferred aircraft type, and Air Tahiti Nui's cabin crews are renowned for delivering gracious service with Tahitian hospitality.

In other news, Air Tahiti Nui announced in late April that it will become a partner in Northwest Airlines' Worldperks Program effective as of May 1, 2004. This positive development will allow Worldperks members to use their banked miles for air travel on Air Tahiti Nui flights between Los Angeles and Papeete, Los Angeles and Auckland, as well as flights from and to Papeete and Auckland from Tokyo and Osaka.

"We are very pleased to be the newest air partner in NWA's Worldperks Program," said Wally Sumner. "By our inclusion in Worldperks, millions of frequent travelers will now have the opportunity to redeem mileage for travel on Air Tahiti Nui and experience our award-winning service while at the same time visiting Tahiti, paradise on earth, or Auckland, the beautiful 'city of sails'," he added.
Sumner noted that Air Tahiti Nui's global reach now includes partnership through code-share arrangements with Air France, Japan Air Lines, QANTAS Airways and through mileage redemption in the frequent traveler programs of American Airlines and Northwest Airlines.

For more information about Air Tahiti Nui's services and flight schedules, please visit www.flyatn.com

Source: Air Tahiti Nui

The Radisson Plaza Resort Tahiti, set to open in June 2004, announces the appointment of Christian Pageot as executive chef. Pageot will be responsible for all food and beverage facilities at the resort, including the signature restaurant Hiti Mahana, featuring a mix of local Tahitian and South East Asian dishes and international Mediterranean cuisine, as well as the resort’s Lafayette Bar, James Norman Hall Lounge and banqueting facilities.

Born in France, Pageot has over 30 years of experience in the hospitality industry. Prior to joining the Radisson Plaza Resort Tahiti, Pageot opened the Dusit Hotel in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, and served as executive chef, overseeing its four restaurants and banquet facility. He has also held various executive chef and food and beverage manager positions at the Coral Beach Hotel & Resort in Cyprus, the Grand Bay Hotel in Mexico, the Acapulco Princess in Mexico and the Pierre Marques Princess in Mexico. In addition to overseeing the food and beverage operations during the opening of the Dusit Hotel, he also held various chef positions during the openings of the Cairo Marriott Palace in Egypt and the Meridien hotel in Montreal, Canada.

General manager Philippe Guitton said, “With his extensive food and beverage experience in hotels around the world, Christian brings a global perspective to our dining outlets and cuisine and will play an integral role in the resort’s success. We are pleased to welcome him to the Radisson Plaza Resort Tahiti.”

The Radisson Plaza Resort Tahiti, the first upscale hotel to open in Tahiti since 1997, is the only hotel adjacent to Lafayette Beach, a black sand beach spanning 2,600 feet. The 165-room resort features 86 ocean-view rooms, 53 suites and 26 duplex suites. All rooms overlook the water with scenic views and large balconies. The resort will feature an all-day dining restaurant, a pool bar, a terrace bar, large conference and function facilities, a state-of-the-art spa and health club and will also offer an array of water sports.

Text provided by Radisson Plaza Resort Tahiti

Le Méridien Bora Bora participates actively in the protection of the marine turtles. Last November, the turtle’s sanctuary which is located in the heart of the hotel, welcomed a lot of new baby turtles.
114 new turtles joined the inhabitants of the private lagoon.

Le Méridien Bora Bora’s guests can observe the feeding and caring of the turtles in their natural habitat. They can also swim with the turtles. The resort will soon welcome a marine turtle specialist, who will introduce the guests to those fascinating animals. The beautiful sight of colorful and rare species of fish in an amazing environment will definitely leave an unforgettable impression.

A website with a submarine web cam is in the process of being installed and will soon allow guests to stay in touch with the turtles they met during their stay. A sort of on-line observatory of the turtle’s everyday life.

Le Méridien Tahiti is pleased to announce the opening of its new lounge restaurant, a unique concept in Tahiti, Le Carré.

This epicure restaurant facing the blue lagoon is a combination of contemporary design, comfort and a touch of zen. With decks and tables all made of teak and stunning views of the blue lagoon offers a relaxing ambiance enabling guests to escape and disconnect.

Le Carré opened on 12 February 2004. Joining Kenneth Sorensen, General Manager of the hotel was Tahiti’s Minister of Tourism, who graced the official opening of Le Carré. More than 350 guests attended this spectacular evening. Guests were entertained by the famous Parisian DJ Emmanuel S (Chanel & Vuitton fashion shows...). Today, almost a month after the opening of the restaurant, it already has a reputation for its quality food and unique concept. It is known to be one of the best restaurants in Tahiti.

All text provided by Le Meridien Hotels

GIE Tahiti Manava Visitors Bureau has launched a public awareness campaign concerning tourism, the key economic contributor to Tahiti and Her Islands. "The campaign is an ongoing plan of showing the people of French Polynesia how important tourism is to the country," said Antonina Alfonsi, general manager of the Tahiti Manava Visitors Bureau. The campaign also explains that this economic sector is not only the business of professionals but also that of everyone so that everyone may benefit.

The campaign was launched May 12 with a press conference at the Tahiti Manava Visitors Bureau headquarters along the Papeete waterfront next to the cruise ship docks. Among those attending were Tourism Minister Teva Rohfritsch and Alban Ellacott, a member of the bureau’s board of directors."The hospitality of residents is a major tourism asset in French Polynesia. It is worth maintaining it, optimizing it and ennobling it,” Ellacott said. Rohfritsch called for the campaign to go beyond its own limits, namely the big and small hotel trades, to venture out into agriculture and fishing.

The public awareness campaign concerning tourism will involve three 15-second television commercials in Tahitian and French; three 30-second radio commercials in Tahitian and French; three posters; and a monthly newsletter named “Ratere” (tourism, in Tahitian), with 3,000 copies distributed among tourism industry officials and institutions.

Tahiti Manava has formed a team of four employees who will attend public meetings, particularly those involving various associations, in order to explain the value of a thriving tourism industry.The team has spent 10 months being professionally trained, particularly on how to speak in public and adapt their speeches to their audiences, Elise Vanaa, the team leader, told Tahitipresse. She has worked for Tahiti Manava and its predecessors for the past 21 years.

Tourism Minister Rohfritsch said it will be conducted in two parts. First there will be a one-month
campaign of television and radio commercials. A second series of ads in September will use a more structured formula, based on returns, concentrating first on the Windward and Leeward Islands and the Tuamotu-Gambier group of islands and atolls, Rohfritsch said. There will be no limit to the tourism awareness campaign’s length, Tahiti Manava General Manager Alfonsi said. “These awareness actions will be year-round.”

Ellacott noted that there would be a special awareness campaign among elementary schools, addressing children who offer a potentially positive direct and indirect impact for French Polynesia’s tourism industry for the next several generations.

Information provided by Tahitipresse