French Polynesia island of Rekareka to the southeast of Tahiti. Over a century later, British explorer Samuel Wallis visited Tahiti in 1767. French explorer Louis Antoine de Bougainville also visited Tahiti in 1768, while British explorer James Cook arrived in 1769. In 1772, the Spanish Viceroy of Peru Don Manuel de Amat ordered a number of expeditions to Tahiti under the command of Domingo de Bonechea who was the first European to explore all of the main islands beyond Tahiti. A short-lived Spanish settlement was created in 1774, and for a time some maps bore the name "Isla de Amat" after Viceroy
Air Tahiti Nui Air Tahiti Nui Air Tahiti Nui is a French airline with its head office in Papeete, Tahiti, French Polynesia, France. It operates long-haul flights from its home base at Faa'a International Airport. Air Tahiti Nui was established on 31 October 1996 and commenced flight operations on 20 November 1998. It is the first international airline based in Papeete, Tahiti, formed to develop inbound tourism. The government of French Polynesia is the major shareholder (84.4%) along with other local investors. Currently, Air Tahiti Nui has 782 employees. In May 2015, Air Tahiti Nui announced its intention to replace its entire fleet,