The authorities in New Caledonia have rescheduled school holidays this year because of the Fourth Melanesian Arts Festival in September.
The two-week-break in September has been delayed by a week to coincide with the festival.
This will allow boarding schools to be used to accommodate the hundreds of participants expected from Papua New Guinea, Fiji, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu.
The July school holidays will also be a week later.
The local newspaper says the territory's international carrier has agreed to rebook travellers who had reserved and paid their trips to take into account the new holiday dates.
