The French Polynesian President says he is worried about the territory's tourism industry in light of the imminent closure of the Sofitel Maeva Beach Hotel.
The hotel is to shut down at the end of November.
Oscar Temaru says he is completely against an offer by a businessman to convert the ailing hotel into a casino to revive the tourism sector.
He is advocating the sector go in a different direction.
"Well the government should train our own people to organise themselves to be able to build B & Bs or family pensions, or units, you know small units, to welcome the Australian people to Tahiti. Not the big hotels."
Oscar Temaru says establishing a casino in the territory will generate corruption and prostitution.
