Interview Minister Of Tahiti Tourism And Consul Of New Zealand

Tourism Minister Nicole Bouteau received on Thursday New Zealand Consul General Justin Fepuleai, based in Noumea and currently passing through French Polynesia. He was accompanied by his assistant Marie-Jo Saintpierre and Eric Malmezac, honorary consul of New Zealand in French Polynesia. 
The consul wished to refer to the training and study fellowship program set up by the New Zealand Government, with tourism being one of the sectors supported by this program. Currently, three Polynesian students are receiving this grant in this sector and three applications are currently being processed. The Consul would like the number of beneficiaries to be increased. Like the Wenling Scholarship Program in China, the Minister expressed her support for a reflection on the involvement of the Ministry of Tourism to support students who wish to train in New Zealand tourism, This destination in the field being no longer to be demonstrated.
In this context, Justin Fepuleai recalled the possibility for young Polynesians to benefit from the program of work visa during holidays (Working holiday visa).
Still in the field of training and development of tourism professions, Nicole Bouteau informed the Consul of the organization on October 24 of the 3 ^rd edition of the Forum of Training and Trades of Tourism to be held on the Presidency. The Minister expressed her wish that the New Zealand destination be honored at this event. Hawaii was the guest in 2015 and Easter Island Rapa Nui was the guest in 2016. The New Zealand experience, skills in tourism, nautical tourism and yachting, Could be particularly highlighted on this occasion.
The consul expressed his interest in the development of tourism in French Polynesia which he believes is in a good development phase with very encouraging prospects. He invited the Minister to visit New Zealand in order to learn about the boom in nautical tourism, particularly in the area of yachting, with Polynesia also having considerable potential in this area. He also hopes that the Minister will see the successful experience of the Maori community, which has developed a tourism economy around New Zealand’s cultural and natural heritage. Finally, the consul expressed his gratitude for the welcome he had received from French Polynesia during his three years in the post.
(Source: Press release from the Presidency of French Polynesia published in Tahiti News Tourism 22 August 2017)