New Caledonia: Tourism Recovery Hinges on Mainland France


Pour consolider le retour de la clientèle métropolitaine, Nouvelle-Calédonie Tourisme lancera le 1er octobre 2026 la deuxième vague de sa campagne « Notre cœur fait battre le vôtre ». @Nouvelle-Calédonie Tourisme

CroisiEurope


New Caledonia has come a long way. Two years after the May 2024 riots, the destination had regained, by the end of July 2026, around 60% of its 2023 visitor numbers. The rebound even reaches 70% on the metropolitan market.

These figures are still distant from the 126,000 visitors welcomed in 2023. But they reassure the professionals of New Caledonia’s tourism industry in their reconquest strategy.

Present at the IFTM, Julie Laronde, chief executive of Nouvelle-Calédonie Tourisme, had come to meet French professionals and try to understand why the archipelago still does not enjoy the position it believes it deserves in the market.

The immediate challenge is to recreate desirability around a destination whose image was durably affected by the events of 2024.

« It’s a long-term job », acknowledges Julie Laronde. The head also emphasizes the collective dimension of this revival, with the aim of delivering a unified message between the institutions and the private sector of the territory.


Une nouvelle campagne à partir du 1er octobre

France is among the three priority markets for New Caledonia, alongside Australia and New Zealand.

Pour consolider le retour de la clientèle métropolitaine, Nouvelle-Calédonie Tourisme lancera le 1er octobre 2026 la deuxième vague de sa campagne « Notre cœur fait battre le vôtre ».

Entièrement digitale, l’opération associera une campagne de notoriété à des offres commercialisées par des tour-opérateurs et à des ventes de prestations sèches.

Elle s’accompagnera cette fois d’un dispositif destiné à suivre plus précisément le parcours des internautes, de la découverte de la destination jusqu’aux clics vers les offres.

La campagne doit également profiter de l’amélioration de l’accessibilité aérienne. Aircalin relie Paris à Nouméa via Bangkok et doit dévoiler un tarif promotionnel le 1er octobre, au moment du lancement de l’opération.


La croisière cherche aussi à repartir

The revival hinges on cruise tourism as well. Created in 2025, the Club Croisière Nouvelle-Calédonie, of which Julie Laronde is vice-president, is working on the reopening of closed port calls and the development of new destinations in the archipelago.

The association is also preparing a five-year strategic plan. It aims to professionalize providers, support municipalities and implement an environmental charter as well as a quality label.

The ambition is twofold : better position New Caledonia among Pacific cruise destinations and ensure that the return of ships benefits the territories and their populations more.


Laurent Guéna Publié par Laurent Guéna Journaliste – TourMaG.com
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Corsair to Launch Two New Routes From Mainland France to Guadeloupe


Corsair va desservir la Guadeloupe depuis Marseille - Crédit photo : RP

CroisiEurope


By the end of September 2026, Corsair will no longer face any Europe-imposed constraints as part of its restructuring plan.

Until that date, the fleet must still be strictly limited to nine aircraft and slots must be handed back.

To read : Slots, aircraft… Brussels’ constraints do not dampen Corsair’s appetite!

The company led by Pascal de Izaguirre has, however, decided not to wait for this deadline to resume its development. It announces the opening of two new routes to Guadeloupe from mainland France.

Thus, Corsair will launch Marseille – Pointe-à-Pitre starting 15 December 2026, followed by Toulouse – Pointe-à-Pitre from 16 December 2026.

The routes will operate during the winter, on board Airbus A330neo.


The schedules of Corsair’s new flights

Corsair is already present at these airports in southern France, but this announcement allows it to continue pursuing its ambition: to offer more direct long-haul connections from major regional hubs.

The Toulouse – Pointe-à-Pitre route will depart every Wednesday at 12:00, arriving in Guadeloupe at 15:50. The return flight will also take place on Wednesdays, with a Pointe-à-Pitre departure at 17:50 and an arrival in Toulouse at 06:50 the following day.

The Marseille service will be operated every Tuesday until December 29, then every Thursday thereafter. The departure is scheduled at 11:30, with an arrival on the other side of the Atlantic at 16:00.


Returns are planned on Tuesdays until December 29, then on Thursdays, with an 18:00 takeoff from Pointe-à-Pitre and a 07:30 arrival in Provence the next day.


“For several years, Corsair has made a structural choice to directly connect the French regions with the overseas territories, with the aim of offering itineraries that are simpler, smoother, and better suited to customer expectations.

Today, no other airline offers as structured a network between the mainland and the overseas territories.

These new links between Marseille, Toulouse and Pointe-à-Pitre illustrate our will to strengthen connections between the territories and to facilitate the travel of all those who live, work or travel between the Hexagon and the Overseas territories,
” explained Pascal de Izaguirre, Chief Executive Officer of Corsair