French Prez Macron visits Vanuatu and New Caledonia; stays over at Ramada Port Vila!

In a historic event for the South Pacific, the sitting French president Emmanuel Macron visited the three South Pacific countries of New Caledonia, Vanuatu and Papua New Guinea! Macron met the countries’ presidents, lawmakers and people on a mission to bolster French influence in the South Pacific region.

On his second visit to New Caledonia, Macron was there to renew French ties with ‘Le Caillou’ (the Pebble, as the French locals call New Caledonia’s Grand Terre), discuss the archipelago’s future and environmental topics such as climate change, coastal erosion and green efforts.

His five-day visit to New Caledonia over, he then visited Vanuatu and stayed at none other than our partner, the Ramada Resort Port Vila! This visit marks the first time a French President has made an official visit and stayed in Vanuatu. “We were honoured to welcome President Emmanuel Macron of France and his esteemed entourage, who chose our luxurious resort as their accommodation of choice during this significant diplomatic mission,” said Ben Smith, General Manager of Ramada Resort Port Vila. “Welcoming a distinguished world leader and their entourage is a testament to the unrivalled service, comfort, and luxury that we offer at our resort,” Smith continued.

The importance of Macron’s visit to Vanuatu is doubled by the fact that it is a South Pacific country with French as an official language and a French community of over 2,000 people. The French President promised financial assistance to the island nation, help rebuild Pentecost Island post Cyclone Harold, and offer assistance on an issue of ownership of two islands between the country and New Caledonia. While in the capital, Vanuatu President Ishmael Kalsakau and over 4,000 people welcomed Macron to the 7th Melanesian Arts Festival in the capital.

The French president’s visit to the South Pacific will undoubtedly lead to a positive impact on the region’s tourist traffic, and we couldn’t be happier. You can read more blog posts on New Caledonia and Vanuatu, or check out our Vanuatu holiday deals and New Caledonia’s holiday specials!