Papeete

Papeete functions as French Polynesia's keystone hub—the capital processing passengers, goods, and governance for 118 islands scattered across 2 million km² of Pacific Ocean. The port ranks 4th busiest nationally for passengers and 3rd in the South Pacific for all destinations, handling the flows that connect remote atolls to global markets. French Polynesia's GDP reached 706 billion XPF in 2023 (3% volume growth, 7% value growth), with Papeete capturing the service, administrative, and logistics share. The city anchors the tourism supply chain: Faa'a International Airport processes arrivals who then disperse to Bora Bora, Moorea, and other destinations. Black cultured pearls from the Tuamotu and Gambier islands—accounting for two-thirds of export earnings—flow through Papeete for processing and shipment. The government's 2021-2025 tourism strategy operates from here, managing the deliberate restriction on mass tourism to preserve quality positioning. Since July 2024, the Marquesas Islands hold UNESCO World Heritage status, adding another destination string to coordinate. Papeete's economic niche is intermediation: it doesn't produce the pearls or host the luxury resorts, but it enables both through port, airport, and administrative infrastructure. The 43 territorial hotels (95% in Society Islands) depend on Papeete's connectivity. This hub function creates concentration risk—disruption to Papeete's infrastructure cascades across the entire territorial economy.