International Tour Operators Gathered for

“Rendezvous in New Caledonia”

On 27 February, New Caledonia Tourism hosted the 8th edition of its international trade workshop “Rendezvous in New Caledonia”. The event brought together around fifty local tourism operators and ten of the destination’s key Australian and French tour operators.

Invited to rediscover the archipelago first-hand, the international agents were able to see for themselves that the destination is ready to welcome visitors under excellent conditions — while also gaining a deeper understanding of the economic urgency for local tourism professionals to reignite activity.

Published on 28 February 2025

Rendezvous in New Caledonia Workshop 2025 — ©"Rendezvous in New Caledonia" Workshop 2025

Local Operators: 15 Minutes to Pitch and Persuade

For this 8th edition, participants in this flagship professional event were well-prepared and more motivated than ever.
Throughout an intense full day at Nouméa’s Elysium Restaurant, 53 local operators took part in back-to-back 15-minute business meetings, pitching their tourism products and services while nurturing or creating new commercial partnerships with overseas tour operators.
This on-the-ground connection in New Caledonia marks an important first step, greatly facilitating future outreach to international travel sellers.

Tour Operators: Exploring and Understanding the Destination

Invited by New Caledonia Tourism — with strong support from local carriers and accommodation providers — ten leading tour operators from Australia and France, key sellers of the destination, also travelled across the archipelago.
Their familiarisation trip included visits to hotels and tourism experiences from Nouméa to Lifou, via Farino and Bourail, enabling them to assess the current state of the destination, enrich their product catalogues, and provide better advice to their clients.

©Bourail West Coast New Caledonia|Ben Thouard - The Explorers

NCT: Building Confidence to Drive Recovery

With visitor numbers still recovering and the destination’s tourism revival strategy well underway, this operation was a crucial step in rebuilding connections between stakeholders and reassuring key source markets.
The Consul-General of Australia in New Caledonia, Ms Anne-Lise Young, was also present to meet with her compatriots attending the event.
Those who experienced first-hand New Caledonia’s continued capacity to welcome travellers will now become valuable ambassadors for the destination, sharing their positive impressions and encouraging future bookings.

As Julie Laronde says:

There’s an urgent need to support the sector and strengthen recovery efforts before we reach a point of no return, with the closure of many operators.

— Julie Laronde, CEO of New Caledonia Tourism (NCT)

This strong show of confidence signals a gradual rebuilding of the destination’s image in one of its most important markets, significantly supporting New Caledonia Tourism’s ongoing efforts to maintain engagement with both trade partners and the travelling public.

View and Download Workshop Photos

Press Contact

Philippe ARTIGUE

p.artigue@nctourisme.com – Tel: +687 24 20 75