When it comes to island events you simply have to turn your attention towards the Pacific and point to a spot on a map. Chances are you’ve found an island oasis that is tailor-made to creating memorable events, inspiring incentive reward recipients, and taking your delegates out of their comfort zones and into a unique water-based wonderland.
Fiji, New Caledonia, Vanuatu and the Cook Islands are all there, just hours from the east coast of Australia, ready and waiting to keep your delegates entertained, relaxed and rewarded any time of the year. These destinations offer sophisticated, stylish accommodation, world-class meetings facilities, plenty of things to see and do, and of course, plenty of places to unwind, take a load off and let your hair down. On the following pages you will find details of a few destinations that continue to inspire convention and incentive reward delegates. The hardest part is choosing which one. . .
Underdone is probably a good description of The Cook Islands when it comes to Australian conference and incentive travel groups. The Cook Islands, a conglomeration of 15 islands with a tiny population of 19,000, is often described as “the best kept secret in the Pacific Ocean”. And, while that may be true, it isn’t going to be the case forever as more tourists (and C&I planners) look for alternative destinations in which to spend their hard-earned money.
The islands lie in what is called the Polynesian Triangle, flanked to the west by the Kingdom of Tonga and the Samoas, and to the east by Tahiti and the islands of French Polynesia.
The people – all 19,000 of them – are said to be gracious, refined and courteous, and welcome visitors into their lives, allowing them to enjoy their rich culture and traditions.
What is said to most define the Cook Islands and leave a lasting impression on tourists is the grace, art and skill demonstrated in song and dance – particularly a traditional dance known as the Ura. Unlike most western dancers, the islanders tell a story with their bodies that matches the words of the song. The dancing, accompanied by highly rhythmic drumming is taken very seriously, with each island having its own unique songs and dances that are practised from an early age. Naturally, traditional dance performances can be integrated into conference or incentive trips, as can other unique, local customs. At the centre of the Cook Islands is Raratonga, just 32 kilometres in circumference and encircled by a reef which harbours a lagoon of turquoise waters and white sandy beaches. Raratonga is dominated by high mountain peaks, which rise to 653 metres, from which lush rainforests cascade and provide a dramatic backdrop to the palm-fringed shore.
For conference and incentive groups The Rarotongan Beach Resort & Spa is hard to beat for quality, service and size. This four-star full service resort is set directly on the beautiful white sandy shores of Aroa Lagoon, or as it is often known, the Lagoon of Love, on Rarotonga’s sunshine coast.
Expansively laid out amid six acres of hibiscus, banana and coconut palms, none of the resort’s buildings are higher than two storeys, and most of The Rarotongan’s 156 rooms and suites are set on absolute beachfront. It features a new, boldly colourful Pacific aesthetic combined with the charm of Polynesian-style architecture. The Rarotongan is close to all island adventures and attractions and is just over 10 minutes drive from the international airport and downtown Avarua. You can visit www.theraratongan.com for further details.
Another well-suited property for conference and incentive travel reward groups can be found on Aitutaki Island, about 45 minutes flying time from Rarotonga, is The Aitutaki Lagoon Resort and Spa.
Aitutaki measures just 20 square kilometres and is partly volcanic in origin. Its crystal clear turquoise waters and sparkling white beaches are said to be essential ingredients in any Cook Islands holiday. It has been described as a place of unsurpassed natural beauty and tranquility, providing a simple tonic to sooth away the pressures of the outside world.
The Aitutaki Lagoon Resort & Spa rests on its own private island of Akitua encircled by champagne-sand beaches and enjoying commanding views of the expansive, magnificent lagoon. The resort is the only one directly on Aitutaki Lagoon, and comes complete with the Cook Islands’ only overwater bungalows, and Aitutaki’s only spa. The resort’s 37 bungalows offer a distinctively Polynesian experience with spacious interiors, thatched roofs and tropical style furnishings. The Aitutaki Lagoon Resort & Spa is perfect for small to medium-sized groups, and is especially tailor-made for incentive travel rewards. You can visit www.aitutakilagoonresort.com for further details.
For a destination that is as equally untouched as the Cook Islands, Vanuatu is a great option for conference and incentive travel reward groups who prefer to steer clear of nightclubs, large shopping complexes and markets where the haggling begins as soon as you step out of your taxi.
Vanuatu is an archipelago of 83 islands with a unique blend of tribal communities, resorts, beaches and geography ranging from accessible volcanoes to pristine underwater environments, offering unique and memorable experiences.
Under four hours from the east coast of Australia, Vanuatu offers some of the best accommodation and conference facilities available anywhere in the South Pacific, especially on its main island, Efate, and its capital Port Vila.
One of the best properties on Efate is without doubt the Le Meridien Port Vila Resort. If your group is small you can take advantage of the overwater bungalows available which are truly spectacular, and away from the main resort complex.
The venue has good quality meetings facilities including the Erakor Ballroom and Valea Room. It is also home to the only casino in Port Vila, offering 60 slot machines and 10 gaming tables.
The Le Meridien Port Vila Resort is a great base from which to explore the main island. The island’s size is such that it is well-suited to a range of team-building activities, such as fun car rallies, treasure hunts and general exploration. Visit www.vanuatutourism.com for further details on this superb tropical island destination.
 New Caledonia is the third largest archipelago in the Pacific in terms of its surface area, behind Papua New Guinea and New Zealand, and certainly one of the most beautiful.
Around two hours from Brisbane and a little longer from Sydney and Melbourne, New Caledonia is within great proximity from Australia to service the conference and incentive travel industry which is so very often time-poor. It is said to offer western-standard infrastructure in a tropical island location, coupled with a unique combination of Melanesian culture and French lifestyle.
For convention and incentive travel groups the pick of the destinations in New Caledonia is Noumea and the stunning Isle of Pines.
Noumea is now described as a “garden city – where urbanisation and nature blend harmoniously, an attractive modern capital in the South Pacific: France’s showcase in the region”.
It offers plenty of four- and five-star accommodation, in some wonderful locations. The Le Meridien Noumea is certainly worthy of a site inspection. Rooms have ocean views, the restaurants are first-rate, and meetings facilities are of a good size and in good condition.
The Isle of Pines is something else entirely. The Isle of Pines is a 20 minute flight from Noumea or three hours by boat, and is arguably one of the most beautiful islands in the Pacific.
Le Meridien also has a resort here – the Le Meridien Ile des Pins – which is located at Oro Bay and set within 4.5 hectares of lush green forest. It offers 29 bungalow suites and 10 rooms and so is better suited to small groups. Other accommodation is also available on the island.
If you haven’t been to Fiji for some time or – shock, horror – have never been, then you are bound to be impressed when next you venture to what is arguably one of Australia’s most-loved pacific island neighbours.
The Fiji of today is far different from what it was just 10 years ago, and then again, it has progressed little. To put it another way, Fiji has moved forward in terms of resorts, tours and thankfully, convention facilities, and yet it has retained its relaxed, welcoming charm and tropical island lifestyle that has so enamoured global travellers to it for so long. Denarau Island, just a short drive from the airport at Nadi, has seen some of the greatest levels of development and infrastructure in Fiji in the past five years, with new resorts and a stunning marina complex, Port Denarau Marina, where many cruises depart from.
As well as the Sheraton Fiji Resort and the Sheraton Denarau Villas, Denarau Island is now home to The Westin Resort & Spa and the new Sofitel Fiji Resort & Spa.
Sofitel Fiji Resort & Spa boasts an exclusive white sand beach frontage, a superb range of facilities, and all the five-star elements expected of the Sofitel brand.
 It comprises 296 rooms and suites, three restaurants and three bars, including a pool side restaurant and bar, the largest conference facilities in Fiji (up to 750 guests), a lagoon-style freeform pool, a full-service resort day spa operated by one of Asia Pacific’s leading spa operators, Kids Club, retail outlets and a wedding chapel.
The latest addition to Denarau Island is the Radisson Resort Fiji Denarau Island. Also offering beachfront, the Radisson Resort Fiji Denarau Island has 270 guest rooms and suites, the Nautilus Restaurant & Bar, and conference facilities for up to 200 delegates.
The Harmony Retreat gives jaded delegates a real opportunity to relax and be pampered by traditional therapies with a unique Fijian essence. But it doesn’t all happen on Denarau Island. Down the so-called Coral Coast is Shangri-La’s Fijian Resort which recently opened its brand-new stand-alone Ratu Makutu Events Centre. This facility is based on traditional architecture and features high ceilings, spacious function areas and overlooks the resort’s golf course.
The centre can cater for up to 650 delegates, making it a welcome addition to Fiji’s meetings space. Opening this month (October) is Shangri-La’s Fijian Resort’s CHI, The Spa, described as featuring the largest and most luxuriously appointed spa suites in Fiji. This new facility will most definitely be a welcome addition, especially to convention and incentive groups and delegate partners. The best place to start any exploration of Fiji is at www.bulafiji.com.
There’s something a little unnerving about being nuzzled by a stingray the size of a coffee table. Especially when this fellow’s affection looks set to be repeated by another half dozen of his species. Inevitably, Steve Irwin’s demise springs to mind, despite the reassurances of our guide, Remi, that these rays have only good intentions. I’m in the crystal waters of the Bora Bora lagoon, some 40 minutes by air from Papeete, the principal town of Tahiti in French Polynesia. We head to another part of the lagoon and within minutes are snorkelling amid 1.5-metre sharks and fabulous tropical fish. The sharks are a breeze after the stingrays as they circle at a polite distance. Then it’s on, past the motor yachts of the seriously wealthy, to a private motu (island) where our luncheon table with thatched roof cover has been set near to the brilliant lagoon.
The meal comprises Tahiti’s national dish poisson cru – freshly caught reef fish, finely sliced and served raw with a lime and coconut dressing, grilled swordfish, traditional Polynesian vegetables, topped off with dessert of sweet fresh pineapple and watermelon. An unwooded chardonnay (French, of course) completes this unforgettable repast.
It’s my second time to French Polynesia, but first to Bora Bora, which certainly fulfils its promise to be the world’s most glamorous incentive destination.
All the big luxury resort chains are dotted around Bora Bora - St Regis, Le Meridien, ClubMed, Sheraton, InterContinental, Sofitel and more. We’re staying at the Bora Bora Lagoon Resort & Spa which sits on its own motu overlooking the lagoon across to Mount Otemanu, the sacred mountain that stars in just about every photograph of Bora Bora. The resort is part of the deluxe Orient-Express group of luxury hotels. It has 44 luxurious over-water bungalows complete with glass viewing hatches to the reef below. A further 32 island bungalows, some with plunge pools, make up the accommodation inventory.
Black Tahitian pearls are highly prized, with the affluent resort guests involved in serious retail therapy at the weekly manager’s cocktail reception during which a fashion show features necklaces in the $100,000-plus bracket.
French culture at Bora Bora Lagoon Resort is most evident in the cuisine which leans heavily toward seafood. Much of the fish is fresh from the waters of French Polynesia, with the Mahi Mahi, swordfish and spiny lobster being among the most prized dishes.
As with every premium destination worldwide, spas and spa treatments are very much part of the holiday or incentive travel experience.
The Maru Spa at the Bora Bora Lagoon has six spa treatment rooms, two of which are in tree houses located in spreading Banyan trees. Among its offerings are a bath in coconut milk, a variety of wellbeing massages and beauty treatments ranging in price from around $150 to over $700 for a couple. Honeymoons are huge business for Bora Bora and it’s clear for a number of the arriving guests, a wind-down after the hectic pace of wedding celebrations is sorely needed.
Maru Spa has its own range of spa products made from Polynesian ingredients such as coconut oil, gardenias and hibiscus harvested from the wild and through organic agriculture. The products are all sent to France for toxicity testing before being included in the product collection.
The people of Tahiti are as exotic as the islands they call home. It’s common to find Chinese, French, Irish, American, German, Spanish, Chilean and Tahitian backgrounds amongst the locals.
Tahiti is remarkably different to the other Pacific island groups in the sheer variety of cultures represented in its population of some 250,000. A Papeete, Joel, our burly guide, with the bloodline of half a dozen nations coursing through his 120-kilogram frame, tells us his father sired some 13 children before his death in an accident aged 78. His youngest child was two at the time. Joel’s 60 and is looking at having a few more kids before he pops his clogs.
Luxury Tahiti-style doesn’t come cheap, but with some long lead times and avoiding the European holiday season there are good deals to be struck with the resorts, especially December and January.
An institution on Bora Bora is Bloody Mary’s, a large restaurant at Viatape, where the guests are encouraged to leave their shoes at the door before stepping out to their tables across the sand floor. Operating since the late 1970s, Bloody Mary’s seats around 120 and traditional music and dance can be arranged. Over its 28 years, the restaurant has hosted hundreds of celebrities, many of whose names, sometimes misspelt, are inscribed on boards at the entrance.
Bloody Mary’s specialises in local fresh fish and also supplies fresh beef and lamb from New Zealand. The restaurant has a thriving merchandise shop and will arrange for customised t-shirts emblazoned with the catchy monicker for groups. An exclusive use arrangement can be had for numbers over 100 guests. It’s also possible to have a progressive dinner using several of the restaurants in Bora Bora.
Because of flight arrival times, visitors are normally required to spend at least one night in Papeete before heading out to the islands. An exception is Moorea, which is just a few kilometres from Tahiti, with flights and ferries available.
Tahiti is certainly well worth exploring, though its black sand beaches, the result of its volcanic history, are not that enticing. Papeete has cleaned up its act considerably since my last visit and a walking tour will reveal a colourful market, some imposing French colonial buildings and plenty of outlets for retail therapy, the region’s famed black pearls being eagerly sought after.
The Roulettes, a collection of food trucks, still operate at night on the Papeete waterfront. The area has been significantly landscaped and the public toilets are absolutely spotless. The Roulettes offer local fish dishes, noodles, steaks and crepes and stay open well into the night. No liquor is allowed and the place has an easy-going family atmosphere and provides a pleasant opportunity to see the locals in a relaxed setting.
For more upmarket dining, the Mango Restaurant is a recent addition to Papeete and is located in Rue Jeanne d’arc. A wall of mirrors, white paint everywhere offset with bright colours in the fixtures, the effect is cool and hip. The French owner has scoured the world in a gastronomic adventure and this is reflected in the eclectic menu which leans toward France, but also has Polynesian and LA touches. Fish predominates and his appetisers include scallops cooked three ways, grilled moonfish and grilled mahi with mango butter. There’s also plenty of beef on the menu as well as New Zealand lamb and venison.
The Radisson at Papeete has a prime beachfront location some 15 minutes from the centre of town. The hotel has been open just a couple of years and the guest rooms are indulgently fitted out. Deep balconies offer an ambience of ease and relaxation. The bars and restaurants also take advantage of the location.
The sunsets are quite sensational from anywhere around the pool area which fronts onto the beach. Perfect for the incentive market.
The Radisson is the principal hotel for conferences, with the most modern ballroom in French Polynesia and has capacity for 380 for a banquet. The room is divisible into two and there are a further three function rooms which can be used as break-out spaces. The design of the hotel is such that much of the public space can be used for functions, pre-dinner drinks, making the most of the balmy location. The dining area makes the most of the natural ambience and overlooks the pool and beach.
There’s a “can-do” attitude about the team at the Radisson which will give plenty of confidence to the event planner. It’s a perfect complement to the experience of the resorts at Moorea and Bora Bora. The Gauguin Museum, some 50 km from Papeete, commemorates the various periods of the life of the famous French artist who spent some years in French Polynesia and died in the islands in 1903. Don’t expect any original Gauguins in the collection. du Musee Gauguin Restaurant is located close by and seats up to 200 and has beautiful water and island views. The buffet was adequate, but not particularly memorable, so some additional investigation is advised when considering this as a suitable venue for the conference. The restaurant overlooks a “fish park” where hundreds of fine eating fish are in constant motion. Air Tahiti Nui flies directly from Sydney to Tahiti with connections to Los Angeles, New York and Paris. Modern airbuses run the routes and the service in economy was pleasant and efficient, though it needs to be noted neither flights were full. It was good to see that distinctly Tahitian fare was served on the flights in and out of the islands.
To make the most of your Tahitian experience we suggest you contact those in the know. And what better place to start than with Tahiti Tourisme Australia. The hard-working folk at Tahiti Tourisme can be contacted on 1300 655 563, email info@tahiti-tourisme.com.au or you can visit www.tahitinow.com.au for the most up-to-date information.
Accor Hotels
If you are planning to travel to Tahiti then can we suggest you see what Accor Hotels & Resorts has to offer. Accor offers the Sofitel Tahiti Resort, the Sofitel Moorea Beach Resort, the Sofitel Bora Bora Beach Resort, the Sofitel Motu Bora Bora (a private island), the Novotel Bora Bora Beach Resort, and the Novotel Rangirou Lagoon Resort. Each property has its own special features such as the stunning overwater bungalows at, for example, the Sofitel Moorea Beach Resort. Accor is offering some great special rates and deals for convention and incentive planners (see advertisement on page 112). And visit www.accorhotels.pf for further details.
InterContinental Tahiti
The InterContinental brand has become synonymous with quality hotels and resorts in French Polynesia, with properties including the InterContinental Tahiti Resort, the InterContinental Resort & Spa Moorea, the InterContinental Le Moana Resort Bora Bora, and its latest offering (which opened in May 2007), the InterContinental Resort and Thalasso Spa Bora Bora. InterContinental resorts in this destination take advantage of the stunning water and pristine beaches to full effect, and offer plenty of first-rate dining options. For further information about InterContinental hotels in French Polynesia visit www.tahitiresorts.intercontinental.com.
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