Bora-Bora

Bora Bora exemplifies what happens when tourism becomes total: an island of 10,000 permanent residents hosting 300,000 visitors in 2025—a 30:1 visitor-to-local ratio among the highest globally. The island generates 56% of French Polynesia's tourism GDP despite being one of 118 islands, creating extreme economic concentration. This 'Pearl of the Pacific' has held Blue Flag certification since 2000 (the only Pacific municipality), demonstrating environmental management capacity that sustains the luxury positioning. Average tourist spending reaches 380,000 XPF (~$3,700 USD) per visit excluding airfare—premium pricing that enables the government's quality-over-quantity strategy. French Polynesia explicitly limits development to prevent mass tourism, spreading visitors across island groups through infrastructure investment. Yet Bora Bora's magnetic attraction persists: 263,766 visitors in 2024 (up 6.9%) pushed toward the 300,000+ mark in 2025. The island's lagoon—enclosed by volcanic remnants and barrier reef—created the geographic foundation for overwater bungalow tourism that defines the destination. The 43 hotels across French Polynesia (6,216 tourist capacity) concentrate 95% in the Society Islands including Bora Bora. This dependency creates vulnerability: cyclone damage, reef degradation, or aviation disruption would cascade through an economy where tourism employs 18% of the territorial population. Bora Bora has engineered its niche so effectively that alternatives seem impossible—a classic lock-in effect.