French Polynesia's luxury tourism sector is navigating challenges like high costs and attracting visitors, while post-pandemic demand shows potential for growth. The Wane Group's hotels focus on sustainability, partnerships with top hotel brands, and strategic development to balance exclusivity with increasing tourist numbers.
1. Considering the Wane Group's position as one of the largest entities in the country, how would you describe the current state of the Polynesian economy, including its challenges and opportunities?
The Wane Group operates in a challenging yet opportunity-rich environment. The hotel industry, particularly focused on the luxury niche market segment historically dominated by honeymooners, faces significant challenges and opportunities. One of the primary challenges is positioning French Polynesia as a lifetime destination. Unlike other luxury destinations such as the Maldives, Seychelles, and Fiji, French Polynesia must actively pursue and attract customers to maintain its allure and competitiveness.
High costs associated with our remote location, including significant travel time from regions like Europe or even nearby destinations like Hawaii and New Zealand, further deter potential visitors. Additionally, logistical challenges and escalating costs for construction projects due to our reliance on imported materials present substantial hurdles. Finding suitable construction partners capable of executing large-scale projects efficiently is difficult, often resulting in prolonged timelines and cost overruns.
However, post-COVID-19, French Polynesia experienced a tourism surge in 2022-2023, with soaring occupancy rates and prices. This upswing, driven by pent-up demand from travelers, particularly American tourists from the West Coast, underscores the region's potential. Despite ambitious national tourism goals, which seem challenging to achieve with current numbers, these targets inspire industry stakeholders while maintaining a realistic perspective. Achieving an influx of 600,000 tourists would shift us towards mass tourism, potentially compromising our exclusivity and luxury appeal.
Our longstanding partnerships with prominent hotel chains like Hilton and Marriott are vital in upholding our luxury branding. These collaborations require meticulous alignment of our project vision with their brand expectations, ensuring seamless integration within their portfolio. Bora Bora remains our flagship destination, yet with limited room for additional hotel developments, we must explore opportunities in lesser-known islands. This presents potential and challenges, necessitating efforts to raise awareness and develop infrastructure.
Tahiti, often viewed as a transit hub, holds untapped potential for tourism development beyond its current image. Strategic marketing efforts and infrastructural enhancements are necessary to communicate the island's diverse attractions and encourage longer stays.
In conclusion, while French Polynesia grapples with the dynamics of luxury tourism, it is crucial to navigate the evolving landscape through strategic partnerships, sustainable development, and nuanced marketing. By doing so, we can preserve our unique identity and allure while capitalizing on emerging opportunities in the global tourism market.
2. Could you give us a presentation on the hospitality section of the Wane Group and provide us with some key figures?
The Wane Group currently operates six hotels in French Polynesia, each renowned for its exceptional hospitality and unique location. In Tahiti, we have the Hilton Hotel Tahiti. In Moorea, we operate the Sofitel Kia Ora Moorea Beach Resort and Hilton Moorea Lagoon Resort & Spa. In Bora Bora, we manage the Conrad Bora Bora Nui and the soon-to-open Westin Bora Bora. On Rangiroa, we have the Kia Ora Rangiroa, the only hotel on the atoll.
Our partnership with Hilton covers the Hilton Hotel Tahiti, Hilton Moorea Lagoon Resort & Spa, and Conrad Bora Bora Nui, ensuring a consistent standard of luxury and service. The Sofitel Moorea operates under Accor due to an existing contract that remained in place when we acquired the property. The Westin Bora Bora operates under Marriott, following our long-standing partnership that began with Starwood before its acquisition by Marriott. Kia Ora Rangiroa is our only self-managed hotel, demonstrating our capability to operate independently without brand affiliation. The hotel's director has been with us for over 20 years, showcasing his dedication and expertise.
In terms of key figures, Hilton Hotel Tahiti has 200 rooms and employs approximately 230 staff members. Sofitel Kia Ora Moorea Beach Resort has 112 rooms and about 170 employees. Hilton Moorea Lagoon Resort & Spa has 106 rooms and roughly 150 employees. Conrad Bora Bora Nui has 114 rooms and approximately 300 employees. The Westin Bora Bora has 142 rooms and currently 7 employees, with an expected increase to around 300 employees upon full operation. Kia Ora Rangiroa has 60 rooms and approximately 70 employees.
Our clientele is predominantly American, making up about 50% of our guests, with age demographics leaning towards a younger audience, typically ranging from 30 to 50 years old. While honeymooners constitute a significant portion of our guests, we have seen an increasing trend in family travelers, currently representing 7-8% of our clientele, a figure we expect to rise to 10% based on current trends.
To remain aligned with market trends and guest expectations, we continuously invest in and modify our properties. This includes expansions and enhancements to accommodate evolving guest preferences and ensure we deliver a premier hospitality experience.
3. Sustainability has become a major issue for many companies. How does the Wane Group integrate sustainability principles into its operations and overall strategy? Can you tell us about your corporate social responsibility initiatives and the positive impact that the Wane Group seeks to have in the communities where it operates?
Today, our objective is to integrate sustainability into all our projects, with a strong emphasis on installing photovoltaic panels. While solar panels and solar water heaters have been part of our initiatives for several years, our recent projects focus on maximizing the use of photovoltaic technology.
One of our ongoing projects is constructing a turtle care center at The Westin, which we aim to replicate across our other hotels through similar initiatives. Despite belonging to different brands and chains, we strive to associate all our hotels with environmental conservation, ecosystem protection, and biodiversity. Our goal is to support not only our guests but also our employees and the surrounding communities in these efforts.
The turtle center, for example, is a collaborative effort with the Environmental Department. We rescue and rehabilitate injured turtles, releasing them back into the wild once they recover. We also participate in expeditions to turtle nesting islands, working closely with the Environmental Department to protect and conserve these species. Addressing challenges such as plastic ingestion, our goal is to minimize harm and increase survival rates through prompt intervention and veterinary care. The center is equipped with facilities for emergency care, and we work with specialized veterinarians to tackle these issues.
Our conservation efforts also extend to coral reef restoration. In response to the global threat of coral bleaching due to climate change, we've established coral nurseries near our hotels to promote coral regrowth and marine biodiversity. Additionally, our hotels serve as protected zones for endangered species like giant clams. We collaborate with local authorities and organizations to raise awareness, educate the public, and support the recovery of these populations.
Waste management is one of the biggest challenges for any hotel, and we're actively working on waste reduction strategies and investing in technologies for waste treatment. We're promoting the use of reusable materials and minimizing single-use plastics across all our properties. Moreover, we're committed to supporting local businesses and communities by sourcing products locally whenever possible. This approach not only fosters economic development but also reduces our carbon footprint.
We also prioritize the well-being of our employees through initiatives such as sports events, health programs, and team-building activities. We believe that happy employees contribute to positive guest experiences.
Our focus on sustainability and environmental stewardship sets us apart, giving us a competitive edge. The Westin, in particular, serves as a pioneer with initiatives like the sea-water pool and extensive renewable energy installations. We believe our commitment to sustainability will attract environmentally-conscious guests and inspire others in the industry to follow suit.
4. What is your final message to Newsweek readers considering French Polynesia as a potential investment and tourism destination?
French Polynesia is a dream destination, renowned for the stunning beauty of its lagoons, the warmth of its people, and its culturally authentic hospitality. This authenticity in welcoming visitors has been preserved across generations, making every visit special. Even for frequent visitors like myself, the sight of Bora Bora always leaves me in awe, proving that French Polynesia offers a dream trip that is very much attainable.
While traditionally seen as a once-in-a-lifetime destination, French Polynesia should be recognized for its unique appeal as a place of rest and tranquility. The serenity and natural beauty make it a perfect getaway for those seeking peace.
Interestingly, many business personalities and celebrities choose French Polynesia for their vacations, often enjoying their stay in complete privacy. We respect their need for discretion, ensuring they can relax away from public scrutiny. For instance, when Jason Derulo recently visited the Conrad, his presence was kept confidential until his arrival, highlighting our commitment to guest privacy. This level of discretion is highly valued by our guests, especially those in the public eye.
In summary, French Polynesia offers peaceful and relaxing vacations, providing a serene escape where visitors can truly unwind. The destination's unmatched natural beauty and genuine hospitality make it a truly exceptional place to visit.
