Our team
Meet our team
- Our human-sized team reflects the tourism players we select.
- Passionate, responsive and attentive to the smallest detail, they are fully committed to satisfying our visitors.
- We often embody the spirit of a Polynesian family, warm and supportive.
- We work with our partners in an atmosphere of understanding and trust, similar to that of a family.
- Together, we design the perfect trip for your customers.
- You benefit from all our expertise and we assist you with every detail, to build an exceptional trip, for your customers.
The Soul of Tahiti, the Mana : A Heartfelt encounter with our Team & Culture
Every smile tells a story of warmth, heritage, and genuine care. Meet the people behind Tahiti Travel Services and feel the spirit of the islands. Because true luxury begins with human connection.
Management
Raphaela Taufa
Owner - Director
Raphaela, a native of Bora Bora who has been passionate about tourism since her youth, began her career with Tahiti Tourisme after studying in Australia. She developed her expertise over almost 20 years, successfully promoting the Polynesian destination. In 2017, wishing to offer tailor-made travel, she founded Tahiti Travel Services.
As a caring leader, she cherishes relationships with her team and values the transmission of knowledge. Her love for Bora Bora, and her insatiable thirst for discovery around the world make her a passionate tourism entrepreneur.
Natalie Lejeune-Meynard
Deputy Director
Natalie, a native of Tahiti with a passion for the tourism and hospitality industries, began her career in 1999. With an insatiable curiosity, she has explored different aspects of the industry, from small hotels to luxury. From Tahiti to Paris, via New Caledonia, she has covered a wide spectrum of opportunities in the world of tourism.
Thanks to her varied experience, she brings a global vision of the business to the agency, as well as great serenity to the team. There’s no routine to her day, as she focuses on customer satisfaction, the driving force behind her daily actions. She particularly values human contact and is constantly striving to exceed expectations.
Operations
James Horoi
Travel Experience Concierge
Native to the island of Rangiroa, James discovered his passion for the hotel business at an open house in Tahiti. After specialized training in hotel management, he gained experience in Polynesia and Provence. Returning to Polynesia, he obtained a degree in tourism in 2013 and worked as a travel agent specializing in Asia for 6 years.
Joining Tahiti Travel Services as a concierge, James is passionate about meeting challenges and is delighted by the positive feedback he receives from his customers. Responsive and dedicated, he organizes dream activities and answers customers’ questions on the spot. Outside work, he enjoys hiking, soccer and opera. His favorite island is Faaite, a secluded paradise in the Tuamotus, where he recharges his batteries away from reality.
Chloé Deane
Travel Operations coordinator
Native to the island of Tahiti, Chloé began her career with Tahiti Travel Service after taking a break to give birth to her daughter. She completed a 6-month training course in 2018 and is now an operational agent.
Her role is to prepare travel documents and issue airline tickets for our customers. She particularly appreciates the meticulous aspect of her work, ensuring that nothing is omitted in the preparations for travelers. One of Chloé’s most memorable encounters was with a former hotel manager from Tahiti, whose love of the business and charisma captivated her.
Kaname Fujita
Concierge
Originally from Japan, Kaname is a true global citizen. Fluent in French, English, and Spanish, she effortlessly connects with an international clientele. With a background in luxury hospitality, she understands the high expectations of discerning travelers.Having spent several years living on Bora Bora, Kaname developed a deep love for Polynesia—its landscapes, its culture, and its way of life. Passionate about surfing and an animal lover, she draws inspiration from her passions to ensure every guest enjoys an unforgettable stay.Helping others is her true calling, and she dedicates herself to creating wonderful memories for every traveler. Her favorite place? The island of Huahine, a serene and authentic paradise.
Sales
Maruia Tehina
Travel Designer
Maruia, originally from Tahiti, had a precocious passion for travel. With a trilingual assistant manager’s diploma in her pocket, she didn’t initially set her sights on the hotel and tourism sector. After a 6-month trip abroad, she came back to Polynesia knowing how lucky she was to be living there. Thanks to her fluency in English and her experience abroad, she turned to tourism, first working as a booking agent in Bora Bora.
Back in Tahiti, she took charge of ticketing and planning for a local agency, and acted as an incoming agent for the Japanese market. After a break to welcome her second daughter, she joins Tahiti Travel Services in 2021.
Noriko Teave
Travel Designer
Noriko, of Swiss and Japanese origin, has been in Polynesia for 23 years, married to a Polynesian and raising a family of three children. After studying in Switzerland, she decided to move to the Tuamotu archipelago. She started out as a receptionist in Rangiroa, then worked in Tahiti before joining Tahiti Travel Services in 2021.
She loves creating exceptional trips for her customers, and particularly enjoys working with service providers in remote islands. Noriko finds her greatest joy in the warm welcome of Polynesians and the wonder of tourists discovering the fenua. Her passions are chocolate and coffee, a way of supporting local producers.
Stéphanie Bourat
Travel Designer
Stéphanie, born in Tahiti, began her university career in the United States, working as a language tutor. Back in Tahiti, she worked for various incoming agencies.
After a brief stint in another sector, she returned to tourism at Tahiti Travel Services in 2019 in the product department, then as a senior travel consultant. Her days are varied, and she enjoys designing tailor-made, even “haute couture” holidays.
Marine Ledolley
Travel Designer
Marine, a kite-surfing enthusiast, has managed to combine her hobby with her work as a secretary for various kite-surfing clubs in mainland France. After an initial stay in the Tuamotus, she fell in love with Polynesia and moved there in 2017.
After various experiences, she joined Tahiti Travel Services, where she excelled as a travel consultant. With her eye for detail and empathy, she personalizes each stay to touch the customer. A music fan and pianist, she has fallen in love with the Tuamotus for their warmth and incredible landscapes.
Lauren Lao Sia
Travel Designer
Lauren is originally from Tahiti. After university studies and a stay in New Zealand to perfect her English, she began her career as an incoming agent in Tahiti. Reactive and rigorous, she loves taking on daily challenges and finds satisfaction in responding efficiently to varied requests. She enjoys contact with service providers and partners, and fondly remembers organizing a trip for tour operators.
Passionate about English-speaking culture, she has traveled to several countries and has plans to discover Asia. A lover of nature and animals, she is also a devotee of gastronomy. Her favorite islands are Moorea for its mana and Bora Bora for its unique turquoise lagoon.
Kimberley Puairau
Travel Designer
Originally from the island of Raiatea, Kimberley has one goal in mind: to design “wow” experiences—trips that surprise, delight, and leave a lasting impression. For her, a truly successful journey is one that feels unforgettable.Outside of work, Kimberley is passionate about singing. She shares her voice and love of music as a member of her church choir—a reflection of both her sensitivity and her deep sense of community.
Her favorite island? Without a doubt, Taha’a. For Kimberley, it’s a place of rare purity and natural beauty, with a serene lagoon that captures the peaceful spirit of the islands. Just like her, Taha’a is all about harmony, authenticity, and quiet brilliance.
Maui Bunkley
Travel Designer
Originally from the island of Tahiti, Maui is deeply passionate about art and design—worlds that fuel his creativity and inspire his attention to detail. With this artistic sensibility, he crafts each itinerary as a unique, tailor-made experience for every traveler.
What brings him the greatest joy in his work? Hearing that a client’s trip was more than they ever imagined—beyond their dreams. For Maui, there’s nothing more rewarding than that heartfelt moment when a traveler returns full of wonder and gratitude.Of all the stunning places in French Polynesia, one holds a special place in his heart: the island of Taha’a. He has a deep admiration for Le Taha’a by Pearl Resorts, a property that, to him, perfectly captures elegance, refinement, and the rare luxury of feeling completely secluded from the world.
Julie Brezac
Travel Designer
Polynesian at heart, Julie is a true travel enthusiast with an explorer’s spirit. There isn’t an island that holds secrets from her—she knows the region like the back of her hand. Thanks to her deep, firsthand knowledge of the islands, she has a special talent for crafting trips that are perfectly tailored to each traveler’s dreams.
Julie is also passionate about nature and outdoor activities. Whether she’s paddling in a traditional va’a, riding horses, or simply embracing the open air, she finds inspiration and energy in the rhythm of the land and sea.Her greatest joy? Designing the perfect journey—one that flows effortlessly, feels authentic, and leaves lasting memories. Her favorite place: North Fakarava, a pristine paradise where she loves to go diving and explore the extraordinary richness of the underwater world.
Product & marketing
Primerose Tuairau
Product & Marketing Officer
Primerose, who holds a BTS in Tourism, began her career in a hotel in Papeete before joining a B2C travel agency. She held various positions, from product assistant to webmarketing and graphics manager.
After 5 years with this agency, she joined Tahiti Travel Services to discover B2B. Her days are varied, as she assists booking agents, writes sales pitches and shares her knowledge with partners on the Polynesian islands. Pleasant and helpful, Primerose speaks French, English and Tahitian. Her passions are va’a (Polynesian pirogue) and cooking.
Nicolas Troupel
Product Officer
Nicolas, the son of a hotelier, grew up in the world of service. After a career in the military, he discovered Polynesia at his brother’s wedding and fell in love with the island and his future Tahitian wife.
He left metropolitan France to settle in Fenua and start a family. Since 2017, at Tahiti Travel Services, he has excelled in managing customer requests, thanks to his experience and efficiency. His greatest passion is sharing the richness of the Polynesian environment with his children.
Sales representation
Lisa Coakley
Market Manager (Usa - Canada - Australia & New Zealand)
Lisa, born in Los Angeles and French by marriage, lived on three continents before choosing Polynesia as her permanent home. Her experience in hotel management in France and England naturally drew her towards tourism.
At Tahiti Travel Services, she is responsible for the North American, Canadian, Australian and New Zealand markets. Based in Tahiti, she travels regularly to meet customers and take part in international trade events, sharing her passion for the Polynesian destination.
Déborah Vargas
Market Manager South America & Mexico
Originally from Chile, Déborah “Debbie” has known French Polynesia for over 20 years!
Debbie is one of our commercial relays on the South American market, and has been marketing our Fenua for years, knowing every nook and cranny. For Tahiti Travel Services, Debbie assists our South American Tour Operator partners with product training, training on Tahiti & her islands as a destination, and above all she is a key asset in helping them turn their sales into reality!
For her, Polynesia isn’t just about pretty lagoons, it’s about unique experiences, and Polynesia offers a rich array of them.
Ximena Escobar
South America Market Manager
Ximena is one of our contacts in the South American market, having spent several years working for a tour operator specializing in the French Polynesian destination.
With her years of experience, Ximena has a thorough knowledge of the accommodation facilities on our islands, and is always ready to listen to our partners. In need of a new challenge, Ximena wanted to join the Tahiti Travel Services team to share her love of Fenua with our South American partners.
Account
Hanahei Maiarii
Chief Accountant
Since she was very young, she has grown up with her family in Tahiti, in harmony with the nature that surrounds her. Hanahei has been passionate about Ori Tahiti (Polynesian dance) from an early age, and it was with enthusiasm and excitement that she took part for the first time in the Heiva I Tahiti 2023 with the O Tahiti e group.
Following her accounting training, she joined a chartered accountancy firm. Fascinated by this profession and with a thirst for discovery, it was only natural that she should join Tahiti Travel Services as an accountant, to be as close as possible to suppliers and to have this human contact.
Vairani Tahuhuatama
Assistant Accounting
Originally from the beautiful island of Rurutu, Vairani brings to our agency not only her professionalism but also a deep connection to the rich cultural heritage of Polynesia. As an accounting assistant, she plays a key role in ensuring smooth and accurate financial operations, particularly enjoying the opportunity to interact and build strong relationships with our suppliers.
A true nature lover, Vairani finds joy and balance in the outdoors, often exploring hiking trails with her family. She feels fortunate to live in a place where nature remains so untouched and vibrant, and she takes full advantage of the breathtaking landscapes our islands have to offer. Deeply rooted in her Polynesian culture, she carries its values with pride and reflects them in her daily work and interactions.Quietly confident, warm, and reliable, Vairani embodies the spirit of respect, authenticity, and togetherness that lies at the heart of who we are.