A “new sustainable tourism plan” introduced by French Polynesian authorities will make distant “paradise islands”, including the famous Tahiti, the first country in the world to set a nationwide limit on the arrival of tourists. As part of the five-year strategic mission Fāri'ira'a Manihini 2027 (FM27), the government of French Polynesia plans to introduce an annual limit of about 280 thousand tourists per year, which corresponds to the number of citizens living on the islands.
Recall that French Polynesia is located in the South Pacific Ocean and includes such popular destinations as Bora Bora, Moorea and Tahiti. “Tourism is an important source of employment and income for residents. However, the restriction on visitors and other changes will make tourism more thoughtful,” the document says. According to him, the government expects to combine economic growth with “preservation of the environment, the quality of life of the population and respect for our heritage.”
At the same time, the number of tourists visiting the “paradise islands” does not exceed the stated limit by much – in 2019 about 300,000 people visited French Polynesia in 2008, and this was a record figure. True, these statistics do not take into account the number of visitors with a French passport who are not considered foreigners.
It is noted that some countries already control tourism, albeit in an economic way. For example, Bhutan charges around $200 per day as a tourist tax. So only rare fans come to this Central Asian country. Venice, “tortured” by overtourism, is also trying to introduce a tax on tourists, but the plans have not yet become a reality.
For those who care about a healthy lifestyle, we recommend reading: diet.