- 1 Vahine means woman in the Tahitian language reo maohi.
1In the middle of the South Pacific, French Polynesia is one of the emblematic and archetypal locations for tropical island tourism. It has created a paradisiac image with its turquoise waters, white sandy beaches under the shade of coconut trees, sensual vahine1, romantic sunsets, a combination of island life, tropicality, hospitality and sensuality (Bachimon, 1990, 1996, 2004; Rennie, 1995; Sturma, 1999; Staszak, 2003, 2006a, 2006b, 2012; Sherman, 2005; Gay, 2009; Blondy, 2010, 2017a, 2017b, Blondy et al., 2017). These elements promise a veritable change of scenery and exoticism at a premium, the “trip of a lifetime” (Blondy, 2010) often organized for couples seeking off-the-beaten-track weddings or honeymoons, romantic getaways to celebrate a wedding anniversary, or wedding vow renewals, etc.
2The present article will examine the state of nuptial tourism in French Polynesia – considered to be the romantic destination par excellence of the tourism ecumene – in the dual context of an upturn in tourism in Polynesia since the health crisis, and the development of tourism destinations offering ‘couples’ deals (Adler and Chienm, 2004; Major et al., 2010; Moira et al., 2011; Breg, 2013; Del Chiappa and Fortezza, 2013; Seebaluck et al., 2014). It will examine whether nuptial tourism practices in this destination – with its mythical image that is ideal for a romantic getaway – are losing ground as regards visitor numbers and benefits. The objective will be to assess this form of tourism in French Polynesia (tourist profile, places visited, length of stay, place representations) and its regional challenges and issues, by combining analyses of the statistical data on tourist visitor numbers and tourist spending published by the Institute of Statistics of French Polynesia (ISPF), and the qualitative data collected during interviews with tourists and other stakeholders involved in this type of tourism.
- 2 Tane means man in reo maohi.
3The links between tourism and love and sexuality often give rise to debate. Despite their extremely multi-form and complex nature in tourism practices, projects and representations, (Staszak, 2012; Staszak, Gravari-Barbas, Graburn, 2018), for a long time the sexuality-tourism relationship was only used in the field of ‘sex tourism’. In 2018, these authors argued that “‘sex’ ‘tourism’ does not exist” and that it would be more appropriate to talk about a touristic sexuality defined as “the set of tourist sexual practices, affects and imaginaries relative and specific to the places and times of their touristic stay (and unlike those in the pre- or post-trip everyday context)” to avoid confining sexuality to the field of sex tourism. French Polynesia could be the ideal destination for studying these relationships between tourism, love and sexuality. Sexuality and prostitution between travellers and Polynesian women have been talked about since the very first Europeans arrived (Tcherkézoff, 2004; Serra-Mallol, 2014) and this has led to eroticism and sexuality becoming entrenched in Western representations about this part of Polynesia (Staszak, 2012). However, French Polynesia is not a destination where touristic prostitution is obvious. For decades, the use of naked women (vahine) and/or muscular men (tane)2 in brochures and on websites as tools to promote Polynesia has led to the extreme eroticization of the destination (Blondy, 2010, Staszak, 2012) without, however, leading to sex or romance tourism. This may partly be explained by travel and daily living costs, the fact that tourists often travel in a couple, and the influence of religion on social relations in Polynesian society. More than just an eroticized destination, French Polynesia has established itself as a romantic destination for honeymooners and weddings (Gay, 2009; Blondy, 2010).
4Weddings and honeymoons are social practices that vary according to cultural, religious and political contexts, but which can nonetheless give rise to increasingly mainstream modes or trends. Marriage has been associated with tourism since the 19th century. Horace Raisson’s 1829 Conjugal Code refers to the British practice of spending time in the countryside to get to know one another (Tavares Gouveia, 2021); this was the forerunner of the wedding trip, which today is often equated with the honeymoon, although in the 19th century it simply meant the month after the wedding3. In a context of significant growth in tourism mobility, it is often the case that the honeymoon is not a couple’s first tourism mobility experience, to the extent that its role as an initiatory rite is being questioned (Isański, 2013). Nevertheless, it is no less symbolic, and the destination is often strategically chosen (Jang et al., 2007) as it must reflect the spouses-to-be’s personalities and also be sufficiently out-of-the-ordinary to make it unique.
5The scientific literature has often differentiated the links between tourism and honeymoons (Seongseop and Agrusa, 2005; Jang et al., 2007) and tourism and weddings (Del Chiappa and Fortezza, 2013) in the context of a sharp rise in wedding-based tourism. These two types of mobilities are somewhat different even though in both cases the couple are engaging in mobility outside of an everyday space-time. The honeymoon is a trip that newlyweds undertake on their own after the wedding ceremony, seen as a rite of passage in the couple’s life (Isański, 2013), but it may have evolved alongside family-related social changes. In wedding tourism, the couple decide to get married in a touristic destination that is outside their everyday life, usually abroad, accompanied or not by family and friends. There is a kind of fusion between the wedding and the honeymoon. This type of tourism is flourishing for many reasons, as many authors have noted (Major et al., 2010, Breg, 2013), and destinations are trying to develop this market (Breg, 2013). Against a backdrop of increasing mobility and decreasing transport costs, it is becoming much more affordable for newlyweds to get married abroad or in a location other than their place of residence. Depending on the destination, these types of weddings can be more economical, as there are less guests and wedding and honeymoon expenses can be combined (Del Chiappa and Fortezza, 2013, Seebaluck et al., 2014). It also allows the spouses-to-be to have a more “exotic” and intimate wedding, freeing them from certain family and social constraints (Del Chiappa and Fortezza, 2013). Depending on the chosen destination, it can be a way of ensuring good weather and an exceptional setting for a unique experience (Breg, 2013). The promotion and roll-out of offers designed by destinations and tourism operators to attract new customers (civil ceremonies, LGBTQ+ weddings, traditional ceremonies, etc.) may also explain this development (Major et al., 2010), although for some authors this alone is insufficient to secure tourism appeal (Seebaluck et al., 2014). The rise of divorce in contemporary societies and remarriages are also conducive to the development of these tourism mobilities (Adler and Chienm, 2004, Breg, 2013). The topic of nuptial tourism in Polynesia seems relevant here because while the tourism destination is certainly “exotic”, as in other French overseas territories, its development has been chaotic (Gay, 2009; Blondy, 2010). Are nuptial tourism practices a solution for developing the tourism industry that is facing a number of challenges, including remote origination points and insularity, thus raising the question of accessibility at different scales and the cost of stays? This article will use a broad definition of nuptial tourism that encompasses all types of tourism mobilities by couples, either as part of their honeymoon or their wedding and/or vow renewals (Major et al., 2010).
“These people live and breathe rest and sensual pleasure. Venus is their goddess. The mild climate, beautiful landscapes, fertile soil, rivers and waterfalls in abundance, the purity of the air ... everything inspires delight [...]. For as long as I live, I will celebrate the beautiful island of Kythira. It is a veritable utopia” (Bougainville, 1771).
“All the women are pretty, and some are very beautiful. These islanders do not seem to regard continence as a virtue; the Otahitian women liberally sold their wares to our people” (Wallis, 1774).
“Come and enjoy a romantic moment in the tropics with the white sand beaches, turquoise waters, fresh coconuts aplenty and so much more. For this unique trip, tourism industry professionals have put together a selection of holidays for you.”4.
6This makes French Polynesia a romantic destination invented for romanticism in which love is celebrated. Marketed as Tahiti and its islands, a name with less colonial connotations (Gay, 2008), and above all one that emphasizes the Tahitian myth or Tahiti’s powerful geographical imaginary (O’Reilly, 1975; Bachimon, 1990, 1996, 2004; Staszak, 2003, 2006; Blondy, 2010, 2017a, 2017b), it is in fact one of the most enchanted destinations in the tourist ecumene. The development of tourism in this region has been driven by a geographical imaginary in which insularity, tropicality and exoticism are combined with the warm welcome of the islanders, love and sensuality, even sexuality (Sherman D., 2005).
7The accounts by Bougainville and Wallis firmly cemented in the collective Western imaginary the myths of the tropical paradise and the vahine and free love in Tahiti, even though they were based on a “Western misunderstanding” (Rigo, 1997; Tcherkézoff, 2004). These representations were initially constructed and shared by the West, then magnified and orchestrated by tourism stakeholders, and disseminated far beyond the Western world (Blondy, 2010). This tourism region was made more desirable through a three-part process: first, through the navigators’ accounts in the eighteenth century. Second with the missionaries who arrived to evangelize the population and inadvertently helped to strengthen this image of a Tahiti of abundance and pleasure, the paradise after the Fall (Ellis, 1972). Nonetheless, their stories add to these places’ appeal and help make them a desirable tourism destination (Bachimon, 1996; Blondy, 2017). And third, artists such as Gauguin and Loti, who influenced each other (Sturma, 1999), continued to add to the Tahitian tourism imaginary and, more broadly, to the South Seas myth (Bachimon, 1990, 1996, 2004; Staszak, 2003, 2006a, 2006b, 2012; Trehin, 2003). This touristic imaginary has been exploited by stakeholders in the tourism industry ever since.
8Tahiti and its islands, a “land of romance”5: telling the story of a tourism destination
“French Polynesia is the perfect place for couples who want a relaxing holiday.”6
9The destination’s narrative, which is conveyed in brochures, web content and videos published on the GIE Tahiti Tourisme website, depicts Tahiti and its islands as a destination designed for lovers – “the ultimate romantic getaway on the other side of the world7” – and draws on several elements of the Tahitian myth, associating the islands with the Garden of Eden. Firstly, reference to exceptional landscapes places the destination in the category of outstanding places with a perpetual appeal. The descriptions play on abundance, exquisiteness and perfection: “volcanic island archipelagos located in the middle of the Pacific Ocean and protected by coral reefs that form some of the world’s most legendary lagoons. Hundreds of white sandy beaches line the translucent turquoise waters, while the forest-covered mountains of the volcanic inland region offer rugged peaks rising to hundreds, sometimes thousands, of metres high that seem to touch the blue sky. It is difficult not to be won over by Tahiti and its islands. New romances or old flames, the paradisiacal landscapes are the perfect backdrop for your next romantic retreat”.8 Here, the island’s tropical nature is embodied as something able to seduce tourists in love. In this Polynesian Garden of Eden, an Adam and Eve-esque re-enactment is being played out for visiting tourists.
10The destination’s narrative also refers to the Polynesian welcome. In the 2022 GIE Tahiti Tourisme Consumer Guide, the first double-page spread is of a tane offering a flower necklace and there are also photos of vahine offering flower or shell necklaces throughout the brochures. A video about the site9 explains the flower necklace tradition by linking it to navigators’ accounts, and by doing so, integrates Western representations of these islands. This welcome is significant for tourists and gives them the illusion of being part of the family, of Fenua10, of being expected, with a certain degree of intimacy. It is also about creating a unique, personalized experience in which an interpersonal relationship is forged. The most recent promotional campaign (Rival, 2020) presents Polynesia as an otherworldly place where tourists can break away from the here and now, their everyday space-time, not only by staying in secluded places but also by forging interpersonal relationships with the fenua and the local population, the power bearers, the mana that makes the tourism experience in this destination unique. For couples, a honeymoon trip or a wedding should be an exceptional, extraordinary, unforgettable and unique experience.
“On our islands you can bond or disconnect from the world, [...] magic [...] is [...] mana11, [...] the spiritual force that surrounds us. You can see it, hear it, touch it and taste it. [...] there is no other destination in this world where mana is as present, accessible, palpable, and revered as it is right here”12.
11The destination is also portrayed as being a “haven”: “in the middle of the ocean is a hidden treasure, islands [...], a veritable sanctuary”13 “where you can feel protected and reconnect with nature, your loved ones and all of your senses. Embrace your inner explorer and rediscover your freedom. [...]. Get back in touch with what’s essential14, where honeymooners can become more intimate or devote themselves to what is most important – their relationship. For lovers looking for a romantic getaway, selecting this destination is presented as a guarantee of an intense, sumptuous experience, through the mana that grants every wish and transforms the destination into a veritable paradise.
12Although the “Tahiti and its islands, the islands of Mana”15 campaign, launched in 2016, is intended to show Polynesia as more than just a tropical island destination for honeymooners, and that beyond the archetypal tropical paradise is also a complex tourist landscape in terms of customer segments (couples, adventure, family), islands (atolls/upper islands, sea side/land side) and tourism activities. Nevertheless, tourists in couples are always present at the different key moments of the campaign. The same applies to the photographs shown in the 2019 Traveller’s Guide and the 2022 Consumer’s Guide16. The photographs highlight the quality of the tropical and cultural environment (Figure 1) as well as the authenticity of these friendly and welcoming communities. The Polynesia presented here is reassuring for a couple in search of a protective haven, where their love and intimacy can flourish. The destination’s images focus on couples. While a quarter of the photographs show tourists, 64 % are of tourists in couples with 70 % of these photographs showing them in romantic situations (sunset, dinner for two, embracing, etc.) and/or sharing an experience in a ‘paradisiacal’ setting where they are the only ones in the world (Figures 2). So it seems that the destination is still being promoted as an ideal tropical island paradise for lovers, despite its claims to the contrary. What’s more, the interactions between this population and tourists are very rarely photographed, with only 7 % of photos in the 2019 Traveller’s Guide and none in the 2022 edition. A third of these interactions are photographs of traditional weddings, thus cementing its image as a nuptial tourism paradise.
Figure 1: Breakdown of photograph types used in GIE Tahiti Tourisme brochures.
Source: GIE Tahiti Tourisme
Figure 2. Examples of photographs used in GIE Tahiti Tourisme brochures.
Source: GIE Tahiti Tourisme
13This strategy of developing the nuptial tourism sector is not specific to Polynesia. In a context of competition from other destinations in the Indian Ocean (Seychelles, Maldives), Mauritius has also committed to the development of this sector of activity, although promoting it does not necessarily mean attracting it (Seebaluck, 2014).
- 17 Motu means a coral islet; it is a term of Maldivian origin.
14The geographical configuration of French Polynesia and the hotel landscape seem to be particularly well suited to nuptial tourism. Remoteness and multi-scalar insularity are used to make the destination the perfect place for a romantic, nuptial getaway. The Polynesian region is divided into 118 coral islands, some of which are sub-insular, with peripheral motu17 on the barrier reef on which hotels have been built. In this tourism area, the way in which hotels are set up and the architectural decisions create a mise en abîme of insularity (Blondy, 2010; 2016), giving couples the illusion of being alone at the end of the world. Tourism is pushed to the limit in motu-hotels, particularly on the island of Bora Bora, which is highly popular with honeymooners. The tourist couple who retreat to their fare or overwater bungalow are symbolically “secluded” on several levels.
- 18 The principle of undivided ownership in Polynesia sometimes makes it difficult to lease or acquire (...)
15The architectural evolution of hotels for land development purposes18 (Blondy, 2016), and also to meet tourist expectations, reinforces this idea of an ideal destination for couples in search of privacy. The hotel silhouettes are half-land and half-aquatic, with lines of overwater fares offering unspoilt views over the lagoon and/or the mountains of the main island, and luxury villas tucked away in the greenery and in reconstructed inland lagoon inlets. The architecture gives tourists the illusion of inhabiting the place in symbiosis with the lagoon (Blondy, 2010; 2016) and of being able to isolate themselves from the rest of the world. Even the communal areas are designed so that couples can find privacy and intimacy. There are double deckchairs around the pools, like at Le Tahaa by Pearls Resorts (figures 3A and 3B). At this hotel, a heart-shaped islet has been created for candlelit dinners in the middle of the lagoon. There are alcoves where lovers can find a ‘cocoon’ at The St. Régis Bora Bora, where the Oasis swimming pool is exclusively for adults. Furthermore, each accommodation unit can be independent from the rest of the hotel via private services and facilities allowing couples to stay in the privacy of their own fare: private terraces and swimming pools for the overwater bungalows, Jacuzzi, private pontoon and access to a private beach. The Polynesian speciality is room service by pirogue, often included in some of the wedding packages offered by luxury hotels. The spas and wellness centres whose services are included in the wedding packages have massage rooms specially designed to accommodate couples. Excursions can be arranged with a private chauffeur (figures 3C and 3D). Every effort is made to ensure that couples remain in their own bubble.
16The overwater bungalow was invented in the 1960s in Huahine (Blondy, 2010), and has since been widely developed in many destinations such as the Maldives or the Seychelles, all clearly using the image of a honeymoon destination (Gay, 2000 and 2001; Jaurand and Leroy, 2011). However, French Polynesia now faces competition in this nuptial tourism sector, where the instrumentalization of insularity has been taken to the extreme in these hotel landscapes, which are imitated the world over and have become an invariable feature of tropical island destinations: “an environment that induces a feeling of well-being and enjoyment” (Ayala, 1991), giving couples the illusion that they are alone in the world in a location that has been developed as a tourist destination to celebrate love.
Figures 3A and 3B
Perfect places for private retreats where couples can get away from it all together: swimming pool with double deckchairs used here by a honeymoon couple (left) and a small islet for a candlelit dinner (right)
Source: C. Blondy, 2018
Figures 3C. Privatized services
A honeymoon couple waiting for a private tour of the lagoon.
Source: C. Blondy, 2018
Figures 3D. Privatized services
A couple of American tourists with a private 4x4 for a tour of Bora Bora.
Source: C. Blondy, 2019
17In order to provide an overview of nuptial tourism in Polynesia, an analysis of ISPF statistical data does not provide a detailed picture of all the different visitor number categories linked to romance. In fact, the tourist visitor number survey carried out among the entire tourist population on arrival has made it possible, since 2005, to determine the tourist profile of visitors citing honeymoons and/or weddings as the purpose of their visit to French Polynesia, without distinguishing between the two purposes. This means that it is not possible to differentiate between couples on honeymoons, for example, and those celebrating their wedding, a wedding anniversary, renewing their wedding vows, enjoying a romantic getaway, etc. Nevertheless, by identifying the tourists stating honeymoon/wedding as the reason for their stay, the survey makes it possible to draw up a profile of these honeymooners (age, geographical origin in particular) and to analyse their tourism practices (islands visited, length of stay, type of accommodation, tourism activities, etc.). Until 2005, these statistics were produced by the tourism services, after which the Institute of Statistics of French Polynesia (ISPF) was given responsibility for collecting and analysing the data, including a new methodology. Before 2005, the question about the main purpose of the stay was not asked, but it has been included in another statistical source since 1995: the tourism expenditure surveys carried out approximately every two years by the ISPF. This survey covers 6,000 tourists departing from the destination, and is based on the sampling and rectification of the data using the tourist visitor numbers survey. These two sources account for the potential discrepancy between the data.
18This statistical analysis was supplemented by an analysis of the tourism products offered by several stakeholders – an ‘institutional’ actor, GIE Tahiti Tourisme, and actors from the commercial sector who organize traditional weddings – and an analysis of their websites and the brochures used to promote and sell their tourism products. The aim here is to gain a detailed understanding of the diverse tourism activities linked to weddings and honeymoons, by deciphering the locations and the spatial and cultural representations used. At the same time, qualitative interviews were conducted with some of these actors in 2016, 2019 and then in 2022 to determine their profile, services, context for the creation of their activity, along with the profile of their customers and their perception of tourist expectations. We conducted 10 interviews with entrepreneurs in Bora Bora and Moorea who could be involved in the organizational side of wedding celebrations (wedding planners, florists, photographers, pastry chefs, dressmakers, tourism service providers).
19Finally, the study of couples’ travel accounts during qualitative interviews conducted during the author’s PhD thesis in 2005 and 2009 and again in 2016 and 2019 were also used to determine their tourism practices.
20Even though French Polynesia has a renowned tourism imaginary, it is a relatively “exclusive” destination: visitor numbers are low and it faces fierce competition from other tropical island regions. By 2022, it was attracting 218,750 tourists, almost returning to the level of its pre-Health crisis appeal. However, over the long term, the destination is struggling to really take off. It surpassed 200,000 tourists in 1999, but the 2008 economic crisis caused tourist visitor numbers to fall below this mark, only surpassing it in 2017 (Figure 4A).
21The number of tourists stating honeymoons or weddings as their main reason for travelling is generally in decline. After reaching a peak in 2005, honeymooners accounted for 32 % of tourist arrivals at that time, but since then their proportion has been shrinking (Figure 4B). These data are difficult to compare, however, as they are based on two different sources. Nevertheless, if we restrict it to the figures produced from 2006 onwards, there is a downward trend, from 24.5 % of tourist arrivals to 12.1 % of tourists.
Figure 4A. Total number of tourist arrivals and tourists declaring “honeymoon” or “wedding” as their main reason for visiting
Source: ISPF data, surveys of tourist spending from 1995 to 2005, then surveys of tourist visitor numbers from 2006 to 2022.
Figure 4B – Percentage of tourists declaring “honeymoon” or “wedding” as their main reason for visiting the country, as a share of total tourist visitor numbers
Source: ISPF Data, Ibid.
Figure 5. Geographical origin of tourists declaring “honeymoon” or “wedding” as the main reason for their stay, between 1997 and 2022
Source: ISPF data, Ibid.
- 19 Fieldwork in Bora Bora, Caroline Blondy, 2019.
22The geographical origin of tourists travelling for honeymoons or traditional weddings in the period preceding the 2020 COVID crisis is characterized by the predominance of four markets (Figure 5). North America, and more specifically the United States, accounts for at least one third of these tourists. They accounted for 41 % of this clientele in 1999 and 2018. They rarely fall below a quarter of all honeymooners, except in 2009. In the 2000s, Japanese tourists represented the second largest market, accounting for 31 % of honeymooners in 2003. The opening of the Papeete-Tokyo route in 1998 and then the Papeete-Osaka route in 2000 by the Tahitian airline Air Tahiti Nui is certainly a contributing factor for this large share. From 2009 onwards, their proportion fell, with the closure of the Papeete-Osaka route in 2009 undoubtedly playing a part in this decline, as well as competition in this market from other destinations such as Guam and New Caledonia, where wealthy Japanese are very fond of the island of Ouvéa for their weddings (Gay, 2012). In 2009, whether or not this is a case of two-way communications, European countries (excluding France) reached their maximum weighting with 29 %. Over the period 1997 to 2018, their share has remained fairly stable, rising from 17 % in 1997 to 20 % in 2018, largely as a result of Italian tourists, who top the list of non-French European customers, followed by the Spanish, for whom Tahiti and its islands are “a paradise for lovers”19. The French market, on the other hand, saw its share of the honeymoon travel segment fall from 33 % to 14 % between 1997 and 2018.
23The health crisis has generally reinforced these trends. In line with the opening/closing phases of French Polynesia (Figure 6), the United States and France were the destinations that kept driving the honeymoon and wedding sector during the two disrupted years of 2020 and 2021. Specifically, the US market accounted for 50 % and 67 % of this clientele respectively, followed by France with 31 % and 25 %. Italy and Spain, hard hit by the health crisis, suffered the same decline as most other European countries. Japan, with the closure of its air space, has vanished completely from the scene since 2021. In 2022, with visitor numbers almost back to normal despite the fact that not all of the old air routes have reopened (in particular the route to Tokyo, which is due to reopen in 2023), the United States still accounts for the majority of honeymoon and traditional wedding customers, with 43.5 % of the total, compared with 25.1 % for France and 25.6 % for Europe (excluding France). The reopening of air routes in 2023 should alter all this.
Figure 6. Closure and opening phases of the destination during the health crisis
Source: Author’s own design. Created by P. Brunello
24Most of these tourists are in the 25-34 age bracket, even though the percentage of this age group is declining (Figure 7). For the oldest tourists, the trip is often for a wedding anniversary or a vow renewal.
Figure 7. Breakdown by age group of tourists declaring honeymoon/wedding trips as their main reason for visiting
Source: Visitor number surveys, 2008 and 2022, ISPF
25Between 2006 and 2022, 96 % of honeymoon and wedding tourists were first-time visitors to Polynesia. Once at the destination, these types of tourists often adopt practices similar to those of holidaymakers. They show the same interest as other tourists for three islands: Tahiti, Bora Bora and Moorea. The three islands receive the highest number of tourists for honeymoons or wedding celebrations (Figure 8).
Figure 8. Number of tourists declaring honeymoon/wedding trips as the main reason for their stay
Source: Visitor number surveys 2008, 2019 and 2022, ISPF.
26Whatever the statistical source used, the share of nuptial tourism clients is highest on these three islands and has remained fairly stable over time (Figure 9). The distinguishing feature of these tourists is the prominence they give to Bora Bora. Over the period 2009 to 2022, an average of 79 % of tourists in this category visited Bora Bora, compared with 55 % of tourists for all reasons for visiting the island combined. Conversely, 60 % of honeymooners visited Tahiti on average, compared with 71 % of all tourists. Moorea was visited by 55 % of honeymooners and 49 % of tourists, irrespective of the reason for visiting Polynesia (Figure 10).
Figure 9. Share of tourists declaring honeymoon/wedding trips as the main reason for their stay, in terms of tourism arrivals
Source: Tourist visitor number surveys 2009, 2019, 2020, 2022, ISPF.
27The distinguishing feature of honeymoon and wedding tourists is that they are more likely to visit Bora Bora (Figure 10). This island is the tourism showcase of French Polynesia, the most internationalized island (Blondy, 2017) where five-star luxury hotels are concentrated, offering specific romantic services for newlyweds. Moorea is also very popular, with a large number of four-star luxury hotels and the Tiki Village, which specializes in traditional weddings on the beach.
Figure 10. Percentage of tourists visiting the different Polynesian islands in 2022
Source: Visitor number surveys, 2022, ISPF.
28This choice can also be explained by the geographical origin of the honeymooners. Generally speaking, American and Japanese honeymooners have shorter stays (9.4 days and 7.2 days respectively in 2022) than the French (18.6 days) and Europeans (14.4 days), which reduces the opportunities for multi-island stays. They are often concentrated on Bora Bora and possibly Moorea. They also tend to have a higher budget and a preference for luxury hotel accommodation, which is better represented on these islands. Staying in an overwater bungalow in Bora Bora is still the ultimate romantic getaway for most tourists from all over the world (Blondy, 2010).
29European tourists, French included, are often more inclined to discover other islands. Italians, who are often avid divers, visit Rangiroa and Fakarava, which are internationally renowned for their seabed. The French often count on family and friends who have already visited or who live there to help them organize the trip of a lifetime.
- 20 Fieldwork, Caroline Blondy, 2005.
- 21 Fieldwork, Caroline Blondy, 2019.
“My cousin lived in Polynesia for four years [...]. At the time, I had just started working and moved in with my future husband. We almost went but the budget was really too tight. [...] When we decided to get married, we thought it would be the perfect opportunity to achieve this unfulfilled dream! My cousin [...] encouraged us to go to Huahine and Tikehau. Thanks to her, we were able to go off the beaten track a bit. She knew about some of the guesthouses [...]. You have to make a good go of a trip like that”20. “We never would have come if my sister-in-law hadn’t been living here for two years. They won us over with the photos they posted on Facebook all year round. [...]. We based our itinerary on this advice: Tahiti, Moorea, Huahine, Bora Bora, Rangiroa”.21
- 22 Fieldwork, Caroline Blondy, 2019.
30In 2006, over 90 % of the honeymooner clientele stayed in hotels during their stay (compared with 65 % for tourists as a whole); by 2022, this figure had risen to over 75 % (compared with 50 % for tourists as a whole). The use of guest houses is on the increase in this tourism market (4 % in 2006 compared with 13 % in 2022), slightly more than for tourists as a whole (6 % in 2006 and 14 % in 2022). Since 2015, the practice of renting, particularly on platforms such as Airbnb, has also become more widespread for honeymooners, as it has for other tourists, but remains less widespread (5 % of accommodation choices, compared with 9 % for tourists as a whole). A couple from Metropolitan France told us: “We treated ourselves: a relatively classy hotel or guesthouse on all the islands, it’s not every year you go on a honeymoon”22. In the interviews, these couples clearly expressed a desire for an “exceptional”, “unique” trip, and to break away from their usual routine.
Figure 11. Breakdown of accommodation type chosen by tourists
Source: Visitor number surveys, 2022, ISPF.
- 23 Fieldwork, Caroline Blondy, 2005.
- 24 Fieldwork, Caroline Blondy, 2019.
- 25 Fieldwork, Caroline Blondy, 2019.
31Although these tourists are very particular about their choice of islands and accommodation, they nevertheless live in symbiosis with the lagoon, as do most tourists, especially when they stay in an overwater bungalow in Bora Bora: “When you wake up in the morning, you can see the different shades of blue from your bed through the glass floor and bay windows. Each morning, like a ritual, we would start the day by taking a dip in the water from the private pontoon. [...] We spent our days with our feet in the water either physically, or figuratively from inside our bungalow. In the evening before going to dinner [...], we would watch the sun set from the terrace”.23 The two places that are constantly mentioned in tourists’ accounts, whatever their origin, are the lagoon and the swimming pool. It seems that couples staying in guesthouses get out and explore the island on their own more than couples staying in hotels, especially when the latter are on peripheral motus like Bora Bora or Tahaa. A couple who stayed in a guesthouse on Moorea and in motu-hotels on Bora Bora and Tahaa told us that they had different practices depending on the island. “In Moorea we hired a scooter and toured the island on our own, in Tahaa we stayed at the hotel all the time, we snorkelled, paddled, picnicked on a heart-shaped motu, and in Bora Bora the hotel was also incredible, [...], but most of the time we enjoyed the pool and our private access to the beach.”24 One American couple highlighted the fact that the hotels are so well designed that visitors do not need to go off-site: “You don’t need to go anywhere, everything is available on site: you climb down the ladder and dive into the lagoon, you don’t even need to go to the hotel swimming pool because there’s one on the terrace. If you want to buy a sarong or a pearl, you can go to the shop. If you want to take a pirogue trip, they can pick you up at the pontoon, they can take care of everything”.25
32The difference with other tourists is mainly the option of privatizing certain activities, and of course the possibility of holding a traditional wedding ceremony.
33As with tourists who visit for other reasons, the choice of island, local practices and accommodation is often based on a number of objectives (fulfilling a dream, seeking otherness, protecting oneself, etc.) or constraints (financial resources, language barrier, etc.), revealing an uneven level of tourist capital. The islands of Moorea and Bora Bora, with their lagoons and overwater bungalows, promise romance for couples, while the less touristic islands and accommodation with local people can be seen as a more authentic adventure for two, making it possible to meet new people and discover local society. Traditional wedding planning services have developed on both islands.
34Numerous celebrities have made these traditional Polynesian weddings fashionable: Mickey Rourke, Dustin Hoffman and Eddy Murphy got married on the island of Bora Bora, and recently the Paris Saint-Germain footballer Thomas Meunier got married at the Brando in Tetiaroa. It is currently not possible to use visitor and expenditure surveys to make a quantitative assessment of the scale of the practice of civil or traditional weddings within the tourist population.
35Against a background of falling tourist visitor numbers, and with the aim of attracting more tourists, an amendment to the French Overseas Territories Economic Development Act was passed in April 2009 to make it easier for foreigners26 to get married in the French Overseas Territories: they no longer have to arrive one month before the wedding, by virtue of a derogation from the Civil Code. However, one and a half months before the wedding ceremony, they must submit a complete file to the chosen town hall to announce the wedding through the publication of bans. Civil weddings are still rare in French Polynesia, unlike in St Barthelemy, as can be seen from the articles in the local press,27 which often make a big deal of them. Nevertheless, they are seen as a way of developing tourist visitor numbers, if a report on the island of Mataiea is any indication: in February 2019 marriage ceremonies took place for the first time for French Metropolitans, Czechoslovakians and Australians28. Civil marriage in Polynesia is still complicated for foreigners.
- 29 This service provider welcomes tourists for cultural workshops, island tours and dinners with dance (...)
36Most international or luxury chain hotels offer the option of organizing a civil and/or traditional wedding with the help of a wedding planner. Bora Bora has the largest number of hotels offering this service to tourists (Figure 12). Other operators also organize traditional ceremonies, such as the Paul Gauguin cruise ship and the Tiki Village tourism service provider29. In fact, it was the latter who was the first to launch these ceremonies in the early 1980s.
Figure 12. Location of hotels offering traditional wedding ceremonies in Polynesia
Source: Author’s fieldwork, 2022
- 30 Fieldwork, Caroline Blondy, 2019. This is the husband speaking.
- 31 This is the wife speaking.
- 32 This is the husband speaking.
- 33 Remarks collected from the “Un jour j’irai à Tahiti” [One day I’ll go to Tahiti] group, published o (...)
37In most cases, this traditional wedding practice is combined with a honeymoon. A couple from Metropolitan France on their honeymoon explained why they wanted to hold this traditional ceremony in addition to their wedding, which was “a fantastic day with friends and family, but also frustrating because we were at the beck and call of our guests”30. “We’d always dreamed of Tahiti for our honeymoon. And rather than a wedding list, we opted for a travel kitty. [...] At first, we had no idea what this ceremony was all about. And it wasn’t until we checked out the website of the hotel the agency had booked us that we found out ... it was an opportunity for the two of us to say yes again on the beach in a dream setting, it’s so romantic. [...] the music, dancing, flowers, everything was perfect”31. “She looked really gorgeous in just a sarong, with her flower crown and seashell necklace – it’s something you never forget.”32 Seeking out an exotic romanticism and greater intimacy seems to be at the root of this approach. Nevertheless, sometimes it can also be the result of chance, as this couple explains in a social network post from December 2021 “Wedding in French Polynesia, such an incredible day [... ]! Family and friends didn’t think it was possible, and yet we did it, and when we arrived in Tahiti we thought why not!”33
- 34 Fieldwork, Caroline Blondy, 2019
- 35 The tifaifai is a kind of embroidered blanket that symbolizes fertility and longevity.
- 36 Fabric made from beaten wood bark.
38For Joyce C. Hammond (2017), this practice enables role-playing. “Playing Tahitian” gives tourists the opportunity to foreground idealizations for their marriage that especially emphasize sensuality, sexuality, and naturalness. For one of the wedding planners interviewed, these weddings “[satisfy] the need to stand out and make this ceremony an unforgettable moment”, “as if there was a need to have a wedding like no other to show that their love is like no other”.34 This observation is all the more paradoxical given that tourists are buying a highly standardized service (Hammond, 2017), as illustrated by the wedding packages at the Tiki Village and Four Seasons Hotel in Bora Bora (Figures 13A and 13B). Tourists take on the role of two Maohi who marry according to the cultural codes in force in the pre-European period, as if in a theatrical scene scripted from representations mixing Western and Polynesian imaginaries of the lifestyles of the pre-European Polynesian people, Christian rites and Maohi rites (Hammond, 2017). After the spouses-to-be have prepared separately (wreaths, flower necklaces, make-up, tattoos, traditional costumes, etc.), they arrive at the ceremony venue (beach, chapel, marae) either by land or by pirogue, but always accompanied by song and dance. In front of a tahua, a non-denominational Tahitian “priest” wearing traditional dress, the couple exchange vows in a place that has been decorated for the occasion (floral decorations including Ti branches, a sacred plant considered to bring good luck and traditionally planted by each of the couple’s families to seal the commitment and alliance between them). The tahua uses a shell to bless the spouses-to-be who are given a Tahitian name, and wrapped in a tifaifai35. Finally, they receive the marriage certificate in tapa36. Tourists can partially “personalize” the service provided by adding extras such as a massage, a dinner and show, a candlelit dinner, etc. However, this is still very structured and leaves little room for improvisation or “ad-hockness”.
- 37 Fieldwork, Caroline Blondy, 2019.
39For Joyce C. Hammond, this traditional marriage is a means of asserting social status, notably through the use of symbols from Tahitian royalty (the large wicker armchairs commonly called Pomare armchairs in Polynesia, and the wearing of certain headpieces and traditional clothing reproducing the dress codes of the Tahitian noble elite) (figure 14). This is a costly practice, not to mention accommodation and travel expenses for the spouses-to-be and any family members and friends invited to the ceremony. In fact, most of the time, the ceremony is limited to the spouses-to-be. This practice allows tourists to distinguish themselves, and all the more so when they can share photographs or films taken during the ceremony on social networks: they can pass as “sophisticated travellers and connoisseurs of exotic experiences” (Hammond, 2017). But there also seems to be a simple search for immersion and playfulness behind this practice. “We wanted it to be like we were from here and share a simple moment as the people do here”37. “It is most likely the power of myth that is replayed in this ceremony of returning to the past”.
Figure 13A. Different wedding packages sold by the Tiki Village in Moorea
Source: Compiled by the author from the website.
Figure 13B. Various wedding packages sold by the Four Seasons in Bora Bora
Source: Compiled by the author from the website.
Figure 14. Sale of traditional weddings in Sofitel hotels in GIE Tahiti Tourisme brochures.
Source: GIE Tahiti Tourisme
- 38 77% of paid overnight stays by tourists on wedding trips were in the luxury category, compared with (...)
40In 2011 and 2018, ISPF studies of tourist spending revealed that while honeymooners and wedding tourists accounted for 23.1 % and 15.2 % of tourist arrivals respectively, they nevertheless accounted for 34 % and 26 % of tourism revenues. These are the tourists whose average expenditure per stay is the highest, and is rising more rapidly than for other tourists. The average cost per stay for honeymooners and wedding tourists was €2,258 in 2011 and €2,940 in 2018, compared with €2,037 per stay in 2011 and €2,522 in 2018 for the tourist average. The same applies to the average daily expenditure of these tourists: it rose from €276 per day in 2011 to €345 in 2018, whereas it only increased from €164 to €179 per day for the total number of tourists (ISPF, 2011 and 2018). This is largely due to the proportional cost of the accommodation which accounts for around 60 % of the daily budget. An overriding majority (97.4 %) of these tourists stay in paid accommodation and more often than not in luxury hotels38. A night’s stay cost them an average of €201 compared with €102 for other tourists in 2018. Spending on tourism activities and shopping accounts for 20 % of the expenditure of these tourists, while 12 % is spent on eating out. The rest of the budget is spent on transport, particularly to get from one island to another.
- 39 According to Google Maps, the island of Bora Bora has 17 photographers compared to 9 in Moorea in 2 (...)
- 40 Fieldwork, Caroline Blondy, 2019.
- 41 Fieldwork, Caroline Blondy, 2016.
41This nuptial tourism has also stimulated the creation of new businesses. Although the main beneficiaries are the hotel sector, which captures the benefits of accommodation spending and sells specific tourism activities (weddings, romantic dinners, etc.), they subcontract some of the services to local entrepreneurs. Three sectors have been developed: photography and the creation of wedding films, floral decoration, and catering. TripAdvisor-type websites offering reviews and tourist advice can be used to find photographers and video film makers and their services. Bora Bora stands out for the number of service providers identified (9 photographers out of 149 tourism service providers in Bora Bora compared with 5 out of 239 in Moorea on the TripAdvisor website)39 and, above all, because of the nature of the services offered on their sites. On Moorea, only one photographer clearly refers to nuptial tourism-related photographs and films, while the others focus on nature and island discovery tours. In Bora Bora, this is the main focus. Photographers also offer boat tours in which couples are photographed in front of all the island’s iconic landmarks. “Since I’ve been on Bora Bora, my clients have mainly been honeymooners who ask me to come to their hotel for souvenir photos [...]. I also work with tour operators for private visits where I shoot films or take photos. It’s very different from Tahiti or Moorea, where my customer base was more local40. Nuptial tourism has also spurred the development of floral decoration. A florist in Bora Bora explains that since taking over their mother’s business in 2014: “Their customers include many hotels [which] order bridal bouquets from me, as well as decorations for wedding ceremonies [...] I have also expanded [...] into bridal accessories to be able to meet last-minute requests”41. The catering and pastry-making sectors are also benefiting: “I’m getting more and more orders from companies who organize events, such as weddings or private tours. They use a caterer for the savoury side and me for the sweet side”, explains this pastry chef who has opened his own shop in Vaitape.
- 42 Fieldwork, Caroline Blondy, 2016.
42At the same time, wedding organizers have also flourished: they are more difficult to identify because they are not always restricted to this single event. In 2016, we identified two service providers who focused specifically on this activity in Bora Bora (Blondy, 2022). Their customers are mainly international visitors and tourists. “For foreign tourists, there is a real need to hold their weddings locally. There is a clientele who dream of getting married under the coconut trees and don’t always want to go through the big hotel chains”.42 Two tourism activity service providers on the lagoon also offer romantic private tours and organize traditional weddings on the beach. In Tahiti and Moorea, the development of these businesses can also be driven by a local demand that is not exclusively tourist-focused.
43French Polynesia is therefore a destination that has made a name for itself in the field of nuptial tourism, but there is a discrepancy between its reputation and the actual number of visitors. Here it faces competition from other French overseas territories such as New Caledonia (Gay, 2012), other tropical island territories like Mauritius (Seebaluck et al, 2014), the Cook Islands (Jamieson, 2004), the island of Guam (Schumann and Amando, 2010), other non-island destinations such as Italy, but also more out-of-the-ordinary destinations such as Tanzania, where Massai weddings are organized in the heart of the Serengeti bush, which are generally less expensive and easier to get to, offering better value for money.
44The number of tourist arrivals for weddings or honeymoons seems to be dropping steadily. Nuptial tourism, which is declining in both the American and European markets, needs a new lease of life: making civil marriage possible for French nationals is undoubtedly an avenue worth exploring to boost the waning French metropolitan market. The issue is far from insignificant, as this type of tourism has a positive regional impact in terms of tourist spending and business creation, even if at present it seems to benefit only a few islands. Finally, in the interviews, people in this tourist category of rarely criticized the destination and have a positive image of it.