A 100 million Euro investment in the new Pacific Beachcomber

The Richard H. Bailey group, Pacific Beachcomber, is a major player in our local tourist industry. It incorporates 4 luxury hotel of the IHG Intercontinental groups brand, and the Maitai in Bora Bora, a 3 star hotel. In addition to that, the luxury cruise liner m/s Paul Gauguin just joined the Pacific Beachcomber, opening a new field of activities.

The Pacific Beachcomber has recently launched into a new project: a complex for ecotourism on the atoll of Tetiaroa, a place famous for its former owner Marlon Brando who had bought the atoll in 1966. So far, about 100 million Euros have been invested in this new hotel called ‘the Brando’.

Who is the Pacific Beachcomber group?

Richard H. Bailey: We have 895 employees in French Polynesia and a sales volume of about 100 million euros (145 million USD / 12 billion XPF). In the last twelve years, we invested more than 200 million Euros (288 millions USD / 23,8 billion XPF) in French Polynesia. We bought hotels, renovated and enlarged them. Today, the total of our establishments round up to 630 units.

What is the particularity of this new project?

It is more than just the construction of a hotel. We are going to create a true community on the atoll of Tetiaroa. There will be a hotel, housing blocks and a research centre. Some of the space is reserved for the Brando family. We might also construct facilities to receive visitors from the public. The whole project is fully conform with the precepts of a sustainable development. It is an alliance of preserving the environment, customer expectations, the population and investors. The project respects the original environment of the place and minimizes any impact on the former, while at the same time, tending to the interest of the investors, who want their capital remunerated.

What motivated you to invest in this project?

On a long term basis, we strongly believe in the tourists interest for unique places, defined by their preservation and natural beauty. These places are becoming increasingly rare in the world. Therefore, we believe in green tourism, especially in places of enormous beauty which are ecologically privileged. This is the case in Tetiaroa. We count on the substantial need of the individual to take time off, search solitude and discover different environments. This type of tourism enables the clients a different approach to life and the consumption of our planets natural resources.

That is possible in French Polynesia. We observed this with our pioneer installation of air-conditioning created with renewable energy at the InterContinental Bora Bora Resort and Thalasso Spa. Many visitors and clients take a lively interest in this system, where cold seawater is pumped up from deep in the sea. It assures all the necessary air conditioning of the hotel.

Do you believe that French Polynesia has key benefits for this kind of tourism, with all its islands and their particular environment?

Yes. I believe those are the main assets of this country. But besides that we also have a rich living culture. Our language skills and arts are dynamic and progressive. It’s the authenticity of our islands that holds a tremendous potential. All visitors immediately realize that.

Are you being supported in any way?

Our main cost reduction comes from the local system of tax exemption. It proposes people in France or / and in French Polynesia a tax credit, provided they share this benefit with a Polynesian project. This measure calculates down to a general subvention, when analyzed on a global investment basis. It is, however, a necessary action, as French Polynesia is isolated and all transport of construction material is much more expensive than elsewhere. Extreme social progress has raised the price of local workforce beyond compare to rival destinations and other countries of the Pacific. Tax exemption is therefore vigorously necessary.

Hotels of the ‘Pacific Beachcomber’ group

• Intercontinental Tahiti Resort
  
• Intercontinental Bora Bora ‘Le Moana’ Resort
  
• Intercontinental Bora Bora Resort and Thalasso Spa
  
• Intercontinental Moorea Resort and Spa
  
• Maitai Polynesia Bora Bora

www.tahitiresorts.intercontinental.com
www.hotelmaitai.com

The Intercontinental Hotels Group, a crucial player in French Polynesia

The Intercontinental Hotels Group (IHG) is one of the biggest of the world in terms of room quantity. It owns, manages, leases or franchises more than 4186 hotels and guest rooms (619 851 rooms), with subsidiaries in about 100 countries and territories. In 2008, the IHG GROUP accomplished a sales volume of 19,1 billion USD. The group assembles several well known hotel brands, such as: Intercontinental ® Hotels and Resorts, Crowne Plaza ® Hotels and Resorts, Holiday Inn ® Hotels and Resorts, Holiday Inn Express ®, Staybridge Suites ®, Candlewood Suites ® and Hotel Indigo ®.

From those major brands, the Intercontinental hotels add up to159 establishments, with a total of 34 757 rooms. Four of those hotels are based in French Polynesia.

www.ihg.com