Tourism in New Caledonia

New Caledonia was "largely indifferent to tourists ... as long as nickel mining remained economically dominant".^[1] After the Korean War and Vietnam War, world prices for nickel collapsed (1970s) and aggressive marketing campaigns were initiated for the territory.^[2]

Development of tourism

Cheap tourist packages were offered to Australians promising the 'Paris of the Pacific' and visitor numbers increased from less than 5000 to 20,000 in just 5 years.^[3] 37,000 tourists annually took cruises (mostly from Australia) and this allowed more hotels to be built in the 1970s and, in 1979, Club Mediterranee arrived.^[4] The tourist market had shifted by the 1980s from Australia to Japan which became the target of many tourism campaigns.^[5] By 2007,about 100 000 tourists visited each year.

Notes

1. Douglas, N. and Douglas, N. (1996) "Tourism in the Pacific: Historical factors" in Hall, C.M. and Page, S.J. (eds.) Tourism in the Pacific: Issues and Cases, London p. 31
2. Douglas, N. and Douglas, N. (1996) "Tourism in the Pacific: Historical factors" in Hall, C.M. and Page, S.J. (eds.) Tourism in the Pacific: Issues and Cases, London pp. 65-80
3. Lyons, M. (1986) The Totem and the Tricolour: A Short History of New Caledonia since 1774, New South Wales University Press: Kensington
4. Carter, J. (ed.) (1981) Pacific Islands Yearbook, Fourteenth Edition, Pacific Publications: Sydney
5. Douglas, N. and Douglas, N. (1996) "Tourism in the Pacific: Historical factors" in Hall, C.M. and Page, S.J. (eds.) Tourism in the Pacific: Issues and Cases, London pp. 65-80

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