Tourists are back at the Port-Boisé gîte

Summer is settling in New Caledonia and the adapted deconfinement has allowed tourist activities to resume for a week. In Yaté, customers returned to the Port-Boisée gîte last weekend. The establishment will remain closed for six months.

Caroline Antic-Martin and David Sigal (Gédéon Richard)
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Posted on November 22, 2021 at 3:29 p.m.,

updated on November 22, 2021 at 5:07 p.m.

With the gradual deconfinement, tourist activities are resuming. In Yaté, the Kanua tera ecolodge has found its customers again, after a particularly hectic year 2021. With around twenty seats, Sunday noon, 100% occupancy of the bungalows, Saturday, the clientele is back in Port-Boisé.

This situation lifts the morale of the owners, but does not yet allow the renovation of the four large bungalows to be considered. After six months of closure, due to conflict at the South plant and the two confinements, the boxes are empty. “I already have almost 20 million CFP francs in losses, compared to last year, so we have to wait for better days. As soon as we pass the 38% bar to 40% occupancy rate , we can start work, but not before“, explains Eliane Atiti, owner of the premises.

Pending the referendum

Another consequence of this turbulent period, Eliane had to lay off half of the staff, going from thirteen to five employees. The structure has held on thanks to aid from the State and the Southern Province, but it is now the tourists who support the lodge.

“It’s important for us to do local tourism anyway, because certain sectors of activity have been ‘taken hostage’. We were able to maintain ourselves. So yes, we might as well enjoy the weekends with the children. places that are struggling to get back up “, comments Lindsey Babin. Inhabitant of Mont-Dore. At twelve, her friends and she booked four bungalows.

If business picks up, Eliane is careful not to claim victory. She knows from experience that referendums and tourism do not mix. “We feel it. The week before and the week after [le référendum], we already see in our schedules that the locals will not come to see us “, she observes. Optimistic but cautious, Eliane has prepared end-of-year packages. It will propose them or not, once the referendum has passed.

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