William Le Grand, Vice President Commercial, Aircalin
Sue Kalia, Nets from Canada; Reggie Kieda, Aircalin; Consuelo Miller, Thomas Cook Group
New Caledonia isn’t an island that many Canadians are familiar with. If you’re a globe-trotter who has been there and done that, however, this little slice of paradise in the South Pacific Ocean could be worth checking out, and Aircalin, the international airline of New Caledonia, is ready to take you there.
At Toronto’s downtown Novotel Hotel, travel industry guests were invited to a cocktail reception hosted by Aircalins William Le Grand, Vice President Commerical and Reggie Kieda, Sales Manager Canada, to learn about new developments with the airline and its destination.
Headquartered in Noumea, the country’s capital city, Aircalin was established in 1983 with one aircraft that serviced Australia and Wallis Island. The airline now has 4 aircraft and has steadily expanded routes to include Japan, Korea and several other Pacific Islands. Its most important routes to date are the daily flights to SYD and TYO. In addition, code share agreements have allowed for even more access to the island. “We want to open New Caledonia to the world,” said Le Grand.
2012 will see the refurbishment of a new economy class and business class to include flat beds. “Our policy,” stated Le Grand, “Is to take care of clients. We want them to be comfortable and the quality has to be the same as on larger airlines, including exceptional service and good food. We want clients to feel like they’ve arrived in New Caledonia the moment they step on the plane."
Incidentally, the name 'Aircalin', is an abbreviation of its official name, 'Air Caledonie International'. 'Calin' in French means 'hug', which is a reflection of the warm reception that guests can expect when they come onboard.
On disembarkation, visitors encounter an exotic tropical island that boasts the largest lagoon in the world and offers flora and fauna that is simply not seen anywhere else. Spanning 500 km from North to South, there is plenty to see and do. A popular "fly & drive" package allows visitors to get off the plane, into a car and start exploring. "Its easy to drive around and the roads are well maintained," says Le Grand.
Eco-tourism is big here as are water sports like scuba diving and wind surfing. Visitors are also encouraged to take day trips out to the smaller outer islands such as Isle of Pines or Ouvéa for a truly otherworldly experience.
For those that prefer the familiar, Noumea is a very modern and safe city with all the big name hotels, and can easily be compared to a city on the French Riviera.
Asked who the top visitors are to the island, Le Grand’s reply was that Europeans are #1, followed by the Japanese. One guest of the evening suggested that a FAM might help to raise awareness of the county to Canadians. Without hesitation several others guests jumped in to second that suggestion. Perhaps in the not so distant future?! Keep an eye out!
