The beautiful little 'country' that U-turned on a mega cruise ship ban
French Polynesia banned cruise ships in 2021 but locals say there is a need for more tourists to keep the islands going.
The small island of French Polynesia is famous for its breathtaking sights.
Think Bora Bora, known for its resplendent blue sea. Tahiti, made famous by the animation film Moana.
Bungalows hang over the crystal waters and shallow reefs. Such dreamy views have long attracted tourists on cruise ships.
Fed up of the gas guzzling ships and gloopy sunscreen literally falling off the skin of tourists into the reef, French Polynesia banned mega cruise ships back in 2021.
Ships holding more than 3,500 people would be turned away. Bora Bora said it would only welcome 1,200 cruise passengers per day.
Those plans have now been ditched. Instead, French Polynesia is going the other way, wanting to almost double visitor numbers by 2033.
Mega cruise ships have also been welcomed back to some of its ports. The dramatic shift has divided locals across the French Polynesian islands.
Some want the tourism sector to grow, while others want the environmentally friendly green way of Bora Bora.
It means cruise ships are under the spotlight.
The fight against cruise ships has been global. In 2021, the Cayman Islands announced plans to scrap the building of a new cruise port.
Italy’s most popular tourist city, Venice, has banned cruise ships over 25,000 tons from its jammed lagoons.