Sud Tourisme commissioned the polling institute ISCOPE to conduct a survey in February 2025 among local residents to understand how they perceive the Southern Province as a tourist destination, what their consumption expectations are for 2025, and their motivations and needs. This study is essential for tourism stakeholders in a post-unrest context.
While the Southern Province is commonly associated with Nouméa’s economic dynamics — administrative services, shops, healthcare development, schools — its tourist appeal mainly relies on :
- Natural features (66% of mentions)
- Specific sites (30% of mentions), such as Îlot Maître, Baie des Citrons, Provincial Park of Grandes Fougères
- A variety of activities (35% of mentions)
- the image of the Southern Province balances between a key economic role and a rich, diverse natural environment full of potential.
A generally positive view of tourism
Nearly 7 out of 10 New Caledonians hold a positive view of tourism, seeing it as beneficial for the territory, creating jobs and economic benefits. However, the 2024 crisis has weakened New Caledonians’ tourism spending capacity.
56% of respondents expect to spend less on tourism than before, and overall consumption has dropped by 50% since May 13.
Renewing local tourism
Current economic trends and the social climate do not favor high spending on medium or long stays far from home requiring significant budgets. For the surveyed residents, tourism is mainly associated with foreign visitors vacationing on the island.
In 2025, to meet New Caledonians’ expectations, tourism must be accessible, affordable, and connected to everyday life — focused on activities and leisure close to home. The most popular activities cited in the survey are beaches, nature, picnics, islets, hiking, as well as cultural outings and festive events.
This is reinforced by trends seen at Tourist Offices, where tourism activities consistently rank among the top three visitor requests.
This highlights the need not only to rethink offers to make them more visible and varied but also to use activities and leisure as levers to attract visitors toward accommodation and dining.
Key target groups to better address
The survey identifies several population segments with specific expectations:
- Families seek accessible, safe, and fun activities for quality time together
- Young adults want energizing, refreshing, affordable experiences, often shared with friends
- Seniors prefer calm, culturally enriching, and comfortable outings in natural or heritage settings
- Couples and groups of friends look for moments of relaxation, conviviality, and discovery
More broadly, New Caledonians want to be recognized as legitimate players in local tourism, not just consumers. Today, priority targets for tourism revival are Southern Province residents who could rediscover their region with fresh eyes, as well as young working adults (25-40 years), urban dwellers, freelancers, managers, or entrepreneurs seeking new experiences.
Inspiring connection to the territory
It is more necessary than ever to inspire and encourage people to (re)connect with their region, promote local offers to invite residents to rediscover their area, build new ties to strengthen existing offers, and stimulate short-term consumption. This is a new way to change the perception of tourism. The Southern Province is more than just a tourist destination, it’s a living space.
