On July 1, 2025 French infrastructure and engineering company, Egis, in partnership with the French Polynesian Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Services and Trades (CCISM), took control of the operation and management of the domestic airports of Bora Bora (BOB), Raiatea (RFP), and Rangiroa (RGI), in French Polynesia, known for idyllic coral-fringed lagoons and over-the-water bungalow hotels.

The seven‑year concession contract was awarded by the French Polynesian government in March, following approval by the Council of Ministers of the South Pacific overseas collectivity (OC) of France. An OC is a semi-autonomous territory that has its own local institutions but remains under French sovereignty.

Egis has been active in French Polynesia since 2010 and has proven international experience gained from its network of 20 airports worldwide, plus other aviation-related projects. Meanwhile, CCISM provides valuable on-the-ground local knowledge. Together, the consortium has affirmed its long-term commitment to the islands by establishing a new independent operating company—Fenua Airports—dedicated exclusively to the management of the three gateways in the concession.

Bora Bora, a popular tourist destination and a draw for celebrities, has the second busiest airport, BOB, in French Polynesia. While well behind French Polynesia’s only international gateway of Tahiti’s Faa’a Airport (PPT), which is the home base for the main carrier Air Tahiti, BOB is a crucial domestic destination due to the island’s clientele.

The three domestic airports in the new concession had an estimated passenger traffic of 820,000 in 2024, notes Egis, a reasonable share of French Polynesia’s total air travelers (see chart above). According to Fenua Airports, French Polynesia’s domestic air network includes 46 territorial airports, one military airport (Moruroa). This might seem excessive for a territory with a population of just 280,000, of which 190,000 reside in Tahiti, the most populous island.

However, in total, the OC comprises 118 islands spread over five archipelagos—Austral, Gambier, Marquesas, Society, and Tuamotu—an area equal to that of Europe. Therefore, air connectivity is vital to basic island life and for driving economic growth. Fenua Airports has outlined clear plans for investment in the infrastructure and network of the three airports that are now in its charge.

Below, airportIR examines the strategic goals behind the move to privatize, the program to expand travel and tourism, and how the investment plan breaks down.

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