Voters on the island of Maupiti in French Polynesia have rejected a proposal to build a hotel on the island.
The decision was made with more than 70 percent opposing the plan in a local referendum that coincided with a vote on the French law project on whether to adopt the European Union constitution.
The publisher of the Tahiti Pacifique magazine, Alex du Prel, says the voters may have been deterred by development in neighbouring islands.
"They have the example of Bora Bora right next door and see the system of these tax write-off hotels that turn Tahitians into butlers and maids is not popular."
Alex du Prel
