FP Opens to International Tourists - How is it going?

[Mercruiser]

Tahiti received it's first flights of international tourists, July 15. How is that going?

 

Obviously, those of us that follow this board want to be tourists in French Polynesia - so we want this to go really well. So do the citizens of FP who depend on tourism for their livelihood.

 

RNZ reports that 3000 tourists are expected in July: https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/421254/thousands-of-tourists-expected-in-tahiti. A further 7,000 visitors are expected in August coinciding with France's summer holiday.

 

Mask wearing is now compulsory in FP.  According to Tahiti Infos (translated from French): "This government decree was presented on Wednesday as one of the "essential " measures for the opening of commercial flights and the multiplication of travelers . With the reopening of borders, especially to American tourists, the risk of reintroduction of the Covid-19 is today considered inevitable in French Polynesia."

https://www.tahiti-infos.com/Le-masque-rendu-obligatoire-dans-les-lieux-recevant-du-public_a192626.html

 

Paul Gauguin Cruises has still not updated their Travel Advisory web page to describe the requirements of the 4-day test after arrival. I am interested to see how they will handle this. https://www.pgcruises.com/travel-advisory I hope we see some trip reports in August from the first Paul Gauguin cruisers.

Edited July 16, 2020 by Mercruiser

[Mercruiser]

First tourists from Los Angeles arrive in French Polynesia

https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/421412/first-tourists-from-los-angeles-arrive-in-french-polynesia

[Petoonya]

Thanks for the link Mercruiser. Fingers crossed this is going to work for the French Polynesians.

[Foggyzx9r]

Fingers, toes and anything else I can find.

 

 I do worry, please do not take this the wrong way, but opening to the whole world carry’s to high a risk. Selective opening to countries with low R ratings may have been more judicious.

 

Having said that I am very jealous of those that are travelling there now.👍

[Mercruiser]

Here is a very interesting article on Le retour des Américains

https://www.tahiti-infos.com/Le-retour-des-Americains_a192699.html

 

Some interesting points in the article:

1) They have had one tourist flight from France and one from LAX. 

2) There were 212 passengers on the Air Tahiti Nui flight from LAX. According to SeatGuru, that airplane holds 294 passengers when full making it 72% full. With the plane 72% full, you are going to be seated close to strangers. To get on the flight, all passengers had to present a negative Covid test from 72 hours or less before boarding.

3) The article notes that FP is taking a risk allowing American tourists into the country given "a new record of daily Covid-19 contaminations with more than 68,000 new cases registered in 24 hours, and 3.6 million cases diagnosed in the country since the start of the epidemic."

4) The CEO or Air Tahiti Nui mentions that they normally run 15 American flights per week. They will only be doing 3 per week now. This makes the Covid screenings manageable with the small number of flights.

 

I really hope the tourists are respectful of the FP laws concerning social distancing and face masks. If not, they will ruin it for everybody and FP will have no choice but to stop allowing foreign tourists into the country.

 

Most of the articles I am linking to are in French. If you are using a modern browser like Google Chrome or MS Edge, it will automatically be translated to English.

 

Edited July 18, 2020 by Mercruiser

[Mercruiser]

4 hours ago, Foggyzx9r said:

Fingers, toes and anything else I can find.

 

 I do worry, please do not take this the wrong way, but opening to the whole world carry’s to high a risk. Selective opening to countries with low R ratings may have been more judicious.

 

Having said that I am very jealous of those that are travelling there now.👍

FP is in a very challenging situation. They have eliminated Covid from their country, their economy is very tourism dependent, and most significant, their largest tourist source is USA which has a ginormous Covid problem. Opening FP to low Covid countries might have worked if their location was not so very remote. Non-stop flights from low-Covid countries is not generally feasible. Canada is low-Covid but does not supply enough tourists. Australia/NZ are low-Covid, but are not allowing their own citizens to go on overseas holidays right now.

[Foggyzx9r]

2 hours ago, Mercruiser said:

FP is in a very challenging situation. They have eliminated Covid from their country, their economy is very tourism dependent, and most significant, their largest tourist source is USA which has a ginormous Covid problem. Opening FP to low Covid countries might have worked if their location was not so very remote. Non-stop flights from low-Covid countries is not generally feasible. Canada is low-Covid but does not supply enough tourists. Australia/NZ are low-Covid, but are not allowing their own citizens to go on overseas holidays right now.

You are very correct in your observations. I guess I worry for the inhabitants. They are so reliant upon tourism to sustain livelihoods that they have little choice I guess. My fingers and toes remain crossed that all goes well.

[Petoonya]

7 hours ago, Mercruiser said:

FP is in a very challenging situation. They have eliminated Covid from their country, their economy is very tourism dependent, and most significant, their largest tourist source is USA which has a ginormous Covid problem. Opening FP to low Covid countries might have worked if their location was not so very remote. Non-stop flights from low-Covid countries is not generally feasible. Canada is low-Covid but does not supply enough tourists. Australia/NZ are low-Covid, but are not allowing their own citizens to go on overseas holidays right now.

You cover all the bases here. It's hold our breath time

[Mercruiser]

Petoonya, you wrote on the Windstar board, "My kids went berserk when in early March when I was still planning an 4/20 cruise. They saw cruise ships as potential Death Stars. They were right- I'd been cavalier and dumb about it.

 

Now my kids are close to reacting the same about a 4/21 cruise. They think at ages 68 and 74 we are too old to plan on the contagiousness going away by then. I don't know- that's why I booked Wind Spirit eagerly for next spring, and planning excursions like a hobby. A joy to anticipate and plenty of time to cancel.

 

What are your plans if any for 2021, 2022?"

 

I'm going to respond here because my thoughts are more specific to FP than to Windstar.

 

I think 68 and 74 are too old to defer your travel plans waiting for a vaccine that may never happen. Live your life doing what you love. If that is snorkeling in FP, then do it now. There are no guarantees that you will be in good enough health for snorkeling a few years from now. As the the sign at the pastry shop says, "Life is uncertain. Eat dessert first."

 

FP is the safest place to go, at least right now. As you know, I am planning a 5 night stay in Bora Bora followed by a Windstar cruise in Feb 2021. If the cruise does not sound like fun due to Covid and social distancing measures, then I will cancel the cruise part and add a few nights in Moorea. A cruise is not the only way to enjoy FP. If cruises don't work out in early 2021, then a FP beach holiday is hardly a bad way to enjoy this Covid-free paradise.

 

 

[Petoonya]

@Mercruiser

Thanks for your caring thoughts. I do agree- life is too short and precious. Keeping to our cruise plan, but just as you say, will also cancel if it doesn't sound like fun at the time. I hate to cause the kids anxiety and upset, and it's a painful choice to make. The success of WS and PG's programs and traveling to FP in general may affect how they feel, and the pre and 4 days post COVID tests will reassure. Always heard that kids sometimes have a harder time letting their parents go than parents do their kids. If we go and they still feel the same I'll feel like we're just off to college like they did. We're definitely at the "dumb mom and dad" stage in our lives.

 

As you've seen I have an excursion planned for every day of that 18 day cruise 9 mos in advance! I'm gonna go if we can.

 

We've done FP land trips before it's not for us but it's backwards for most. Your alternate plan sounds terrific. Our backup is Star Breeze 18 day Tahiti in November 2021- already have that under deposit.

 

Thanks for your insight again 🙂

 

 

Edited July 19, 2020 by Petoonya

[Tahitianbigkahuna]

As Paul Harvey would say  .... "now the rest of the story".

 

Just the facts ....

 

Approximately 45,000,000 test have been performed in the USA

Approximately 3,500,000 positive test

Approximately 135,000 deaths which over 95% were very elderly (over 80) and typically had other medical problems.

So  .... a death rate of 0.003%

 

Corona Virus was introduced to FP not by an American, not by a foreigner ... but a local French Polynesian government official.  

 

There are a few hot spots in the USA but the vast majority of USA areas are in pretty good shape. In my county the death rate is 0.000021%

 

Then you have the data collection issues  ... in Florida (a reported hot spot) https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/coronavirus-update-florida-labs-not-reporting-negative-test-results-report-says/ar-BB16JnEH

Edited July 19, 2020 by Tahitianbigkahuna

[Petoonya]

@Tahitianbigkahuna

Your math is a bit off.

Johns Hopkins, trusted authority on COVID shows a global death rate of 2.3%. The US death rate is 1%.

https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/map.html

The US death rate doesn't compare to what the cruise illness/death rate would've been on cruise ships had cruises been allowed to proceed in March. It's expected that cruise ship illness/death rates would be much higher than US or global.

 

So now it's still an unknown if cruise ships will be the "petri dishes" they were 5 months ago when they start up again. Up to cruise lines to mitigate that. 

 

In addition death/illness rates don't take into account that a mild to severe case of COVID can cause permanent damage to ones heart, kidneys, and brain as is being proven now.

 

Everyone has their own risk tolerance. My kids will probably not be happy until the cruise illness/death rate is proven to be at least as positive as that of staying at home.

Lots up in the air.

For now looks like cruising to FP for the present time on sanitized PG or WS is about as safe as one can get. Keeping fingers crossed this proves to be correct for the French Polynesians especially.

Edited July 19, 2020 by Petoonya

[Tahitianbigkahuna]

14 minutes ago, Petoonya said:

@Tahitianbigkahuna

Your math is a bit off.

Johns Hopkins, trusted authority on COVID shows a global death rate of 2.3%. The US death rate is 1%.

https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/map.html

The US death rate doesn't compare to what the cruise illness/death rate would've been on cruise ships had cruises been allowed to proceed in March. It's expected that cruise ship illness/death rates would be much higher than US or global.

 

So now it's still an unknown if cruise ships will be the "petri dishes" they were 5 months ago when they start up again. Up to cruise lines to mitigate that. 

 

In addition death/illness rates don't take into account that a mild to severe case of COVID can cause permanent damage to ones heart, kidneys, and brain as is being proven now.

 

Everyone has their own risk tolerance. My kids will probably not be happy until the cruise illness/death rate is proven to be at least as positive as that of staying at home.

Lots up in the air.

For now looks like cruising to FP for the present time on sanitized PG or WS is about as safe as one can get. Keeping fingers crossed this proves to be correct for the French Polynesians especially.

 

I'm pretty much quoting the CDC  ...  as of yesterday ... https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/cases-updates/cases-in-us.html

 

That is 3.8% death rate among those tested positive.

 

Of the total that have been tested it's 0.003%

 

Of the total population of the USA that is 0.00039%

 

 

Edited July 19, 2020 by Tahitianbigkahuna

[njhorseman]

1 hour ago, Tahitianbigkahuna said:

 

Approximately 135,000 deaths which over 95% were very elderly (over 80) and typically had other medical problems.

I have no idea where you got that from. Here's a table of deaths by age group through June 17 as compiled by the CDC. I'm sure including the most recent month's data wont swing the percentages very much:

 

https://www.acsh.org/news/2020/06/23/coronavirus-covid-deaths-us-age-race-14863

 

 

[Tahitianbigkahuna]

15 minutes ago, njhorseman said:

I have no idea where you got that from. Here's a table of deaths by age group through June 17 as compiled by the CDC. I'm sure including the most recent month's data wont swing the percentages very much:

 

https://www.acsh.org/news/2020/06/23/coronavirus-covid-deaths-us-age-race-14863

 

 

 

That is a statistic that is 30 days old and even that one shows 80% are 65 or older.

 

In my county of 280,000 only 6 deaths and all were over 75 year of age.

 

My point is the numbers are high in the USA for positives because of the massive testing over the last month. 45,000,000 million test in the USA  .... about 13% of the population and we are one of the most populated countries of the world ... #3 in population .... there are going to be bigger numbers because of the massive testing going on in the USA.

 

Are there a few hot spots in the USA? Sure  ... but my point was the vast majority of the USA is in pretty good shape though the numbers seem high on new cases because of the massive testing.

Edited July 19, 2020 by Tahitianbigkahuna

[njhorseman]

Just now, Tahitianbigkahuna said:

 

That is a statistic that is 30 days old and even that one shows 80% are 65 or older

In your prior post you said that 95% were over the age of 80, which is clearly wrong and a lot different than 80% being 65 or older. Adding an additional month will not swing the numbers to your claim of 95% being over the age of 80. Even if every death in the past month was a person over the age of 80, which is a nonsensical assumption but let's say it were true for the sake of argument, the numbers still wouldn't show that 95% of deaths were over the age of 80.

[Tahitianbigkahuna]

4 minutes ago, njhorseman said:

In your prior post you said that 95% were over the age of 80, which is clearly wrong and a lot different than 80% being 65 or older. Adding an additional month will not swing the numbers to your claim of 95% being over the age of 80. Even if every death in the past month was a person over the age of 80, which is a nonsensical assumption but let's say it were true for the sake of argument, the numbers still wouldn't show that 95% of deaths were over the age of 80.

IMO it doesn't matter if it's 80% or 95%  .... in my area it's a huge percentage that are old  .... You look at Hopkins, CDC, individual states .... the numbers don't always match. Bottom line is the C-19 likes older people that typically have some underlying conditions.

 

Not hear to argue. Everyone needs to make their own decision  .... for me I have no fear of going through LAX or going to FP. What my be OK for most may not be OK for everyone, especially those that have medical issues and are getting up there in years. Time is precious as you get older, have more important things to do  ... Have a good day. 

Edited July 19, 2020 by Tahitianbigkahuna

[njhorseman]

Just now, Tahitianbigkahuna said:

IMO it doesn't matter if it's 80% or 95%  .... in my area it's a huge percentage that are old  .... You look at Hopkins, CDC, individual states .... the numbers don't always match. Bottom line is the C-19 likes older people that typically have some underlying conditions.

 

Have a good day ...

If you don't know how different 80% being over the age of 65 is from 95% being over the age of 80 then I'm obviously wasting my time....and it has nothing to do with "the numbers don't always match".

 

[Petoonya]

Regardless of numbers. We all know that until now our chances of developing COVID were much higher in March than that of staying at home. I'm 68 and my chances of contracting and becoming seriously ill were/are also much higher than my three 40 year olds. Remains to be seen what happens going forward.

 

Don't know how I'd feel about being a guinea pig on July PG cruises-Sept WS cruises. Again it's risk tolerance. Grateful my cruise isn't till 4/21 and feel for the PG-ers who have no choice but to go or lose $.

[Mercruiser]

I will happily ask people on CC for advice on cruise travel. But when it comes to infectious diseases, I will take my advice from medical doctors. I am alive today because doctors performed an emergency appendectomy on me when my appendix ruptured. My wife is alive today because a doctor repaired her failed mitral valve in her heart. I will continue to take my medical advice from medical professionals.

 

But I must say, I am amazed and dismayed at the people who talk as if Covid is no big deal - this includes many of my neighbors. To me 605,000 deaths (so far) is a big deal. Downplaying the significance of Covid is not resulting in a happy outcome for those countries doing so.

Edited July 20, 2020 by Mercruiser

[Mercruiser]

Tahiti opens "Fare Manihini" tourist information office on the Papeete waterfront.

 

https://www.tahiti-infos.com/Un-Fare-Manihini-flambant-neuf-sur-le-front-de-mer_a192770.html

 

Édouard Fritch, President of FP, spoke at the opening ceremony (translated):

 

"We do not make the choice of any health or all economic. We have chosen a Country that does everything to save its economy while protecting the health of Polynesians," said Edouard Fritch. "Yes there is no Zero risk but our Country, our destination is 'Covid prepared'. It has been prepared. It is prepared. We must learn to live with this risk while keeping our authenticity and our tradition of Home." 

 

I think Google Translate might be a little off here. It seems what he is saying is that FP hasn't made the choice to sacrifice everyone's health to open the economy. They will restart the economy while keeping Covid to a minimum level.

 

Edited July 20, 2020 by Mercruiser

[Petoonya]

At the moment PG is taking a preliminary practice cruise populated with locals aboard in preparation for the kick off cruise July 29. So we should be hearing reports August 7-8 hopefully. Rooting for all those on board and for French Polynesians that will potentially be exposed should things go awry in these early cruises. Hope to be saying hip-hip-hooray in a month.

[Mercruiser]

Here is a short article about the practice cruise.

 

http://outremers360.com/economie/tourisme-en-polynesie-le-paul-gauguin-reprend-le-large/

[Mercruiser]

Windstar cancels first four Tahiti sailings

https://www.seatrade-cruise.com/news/windstar-cancels-first-four-tahiti-sailings

 

Their explanation about CDC and CLIA makes no sense. Seems like they don't want to take responsibility for their own decision.

[Mercruiser]

Tourism: 1,521 self-tests analyzed and all negative

https://www.tahiti-infos.com/Tourisme-1-521-auto-tests-analyses-et-tous-negatifs_a192932.html

This article is about the 4 day self tests for Covid. Sounds like it is going well so far.