A group of Australian wholesalers had the great opportunity to visit the South Pacific destination of New Caledonia this week as part of the tourism board’s Rendez-Vous Workshop 2025. New Caledonia Tourism was thrilled to invite a group of Australian wholesalers from Sydney and Brisbane to the workshop on the 27th of February alongside wholesalers from France.
The workshop took place at the recently launched restaurant Elysium, located along Anse Vata Beach overlooking the lagoon of Noumea. During the day, 10 wholesalers from the two markets took part in speed-dating styled meetings with around 40 local partners. The wholesalers had the opportunity to reconnect with established tourism operators and also be introduced to new operators, providing new experiences and offerings. The group were treated to a delicious Mediterranean-inspired lunch at the restaurant to break up the meetings during the day.
The group enjoyed another few days of activities surrounding the workshop, giving them the opportunity to discover this little slice of French paradise and learn about new products and offerings available in the destination. During the week, the group stayed at Le Meridien Noumea Resort & Spa, Château Royal, and Hilton Noumea La Promenade Residences. The transport company Arc en Ciel brought the group around the capital with site visits to Hotel Beaurivage, Ramada Hotel, Gondwana Hotel, and Hotel Le Lagon. The Brisbane group also visited the island of Ouvea, where they quickly discovered why this beautiful island has been named the closest island to paradise. The group was taken around to multiple key spots on the island, which included a site visit of Hotel Le Beaupré, before spending the night at Hotel Le Paradis d’Ouvea.
As the destination is now fully open for Australian travellers, the workshop took place at the perfect time to reassure the industry that the destination is ready to welcome back visitors. Following a successful 2023, which saw a record number of Australian tourists make their way to New Caledonia, the local partners and the tourism board are eager to see this trend continue and grow in 2025.
“We’re so excited to once again be able to invite our travel trade partners in Australia to discover our beautiful destination and gain a deep understanding of New Caledonia to be able to sell it to their customers,” Rebecca Marchal, Account Director for New Caledonia Tourisme Australia said about the workshop. “With the support of our valued wholesale partners and New Caledonia Specialists, they can create tailored itineraries for their clients and reassure them that New Caledonia is a safe country to visit.”
Australians who are eager to visit the South Pacific destination New Caledonia will be thrilled to know that the destination is rolling out the welcome mat with an exciting mix of new restaurants, bars, cafes, and experiences, ready to make every visit feel like the first time.
New Caledonia is Australia’s next-door neighbour (less than 3 hours from Sydney and 2 hours from Brisbane). An amazing archipelago and holiday destination thanks to its combination of unique Melanesian culture, exotic South Pacific charm, and cosmopolitan French chic. Surrounded by the largest lagoon in the world that has been registered as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, New Caledonia is famous for its variety of landscapes, cultures, activities, and unique biodiversity.
Travel agents can sign up for the E-learning program here to become a New Caledonia Specialist and go into the running for future famils to New Caledonia. https://trade.newcaledonia.travel/
