Pacific Island Nations Compete for Thanksgiving Travellers as Bora Bora and Guam Ramp Up Promotions

French Polynesia, Cook Islands, Samoa, Palau, Vanuatu, and Guam are all competing for Thanksgiving 2026 holiday travellers, with Black Friday emerging as a key promotional window across the Pacific. French Polynesia recorded 27,228 tourist arrivals in June 2026, a 4.2% increase over the same month in 2025, drawing North American and European visitors to Bora Bora, Tahiti, and Moorea for overwater accommodation and marine experiences. The Cook Islands welcomed 21,728 visitors in July 2026, with New Zealand and Australia as its dominant source markets. Samoa accumulated 142,799 visitor arrivals over the first nine months of its 2025–26 financial year, reflecting strong ties with New Zealand, Australia, and the United States. Palau registered 7,565 arrivals in August 2026, bringing its January–August total to 58,605, with China, Taiwan, and Japan among its principal markets. Vanuatu reported roughly 15% growth in arrivals during January–June 2026, signalling continued recovery for the archipelago. Guam, a US territory where American retail traditions are part of the local commercial environment, draws heavily from Japan and South Korea and offers a blend of shopping, beaches, and entertainment that could prove attractive during the Black Friday promotional period. Analysts caution that comparing these figures is difficult, as the reporting periods differ — Samoa's spans nine months, Palau's covers eight, and French Polynesia's and the Cook Islands' each reflect a single month. No verified monthly arrival figure is available for Guam, making a direct ranking of the six destinations impossible.