New Caledonia tourist authorities are declaring the recent establishment of the largest nature preserve in the world as a historic moment for sustainable tourism.
The Le Parc Naturel de la Mer de Corail marine sanctuary, or "Natural Park of the Coral Sea", covers more than 1.3 million square kilometres.
To put that into perspective, the park is almost as big as Queensland, which has an area of 1.7 million square kilometres.
It includes about 450,000 hectares of coral reefs and is home to 25 species of marine mammals, 48 shark species, 19 species of nesting birds and five species of sea turtles.
The sanctuary came about because the Government of New Caledonia wanted to create the world's largest protected area on land and sea, and protect the country's natural wealth.
The legal establishment of the park was announced earlier this month.
"This is an historic moment in marine conservation, as well as sustainable tourism," New Caledonia Tourism's sales and marketing director, Caroline Brunel, said in a statement on Wednesday.
"Such a measure exemplifies that it is possible to invest in the long-term health and productivity of our ocean resources, whilst also investing in our tourism industry," she said.
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