Anuanuaro Airstrip

The closure was due to economic and strategic business reasons. The airstrip was privately owned and operated by the Robert Wan Group, the world's leading producer of Tahitian black pearls. The closure was part of a corporate consolidation effort, as the company streamlined its operations and focused its resources on other, more productive atolls. The high cost of maintaining and operating a private airstrip on a remote atoll, combined with shifts in the global pearl market, made its continued operation economically unviable.

The airstrip is currently inactive and unmaintained. Satellite imagery shows the paved runway is still physically intact but shows no signs of recent use. The entire atoll, including the airstrip and the former pearl farm facilities, is private property. After ceasing operations, the atoll was put up for sale by the Robert Wan Group. It is considered uninhabited, with the infrastructure in a state of disuse pending a sale.

Anuanuaro Airstrip was a vital piece of private infrastructure that enabled the success of the Tahitian black pearl industry in the late 20th and early 21st centuries. Its sole purpose was to serve the Robert Wan pearl farm on the atoll. It provided a critical air link to Tahiti, allowing for the rapid transport of specialized personnel, sensitive equipment, supplies, and, most importantly, the high-value harvested pearls. This logistical capability was essential for operating a large-scale commercial farm in such an isolated location. The airstrip typically handled small, short-takeoff-and-landing (STOL) aircraft, like the Britten-Norman BN-2 Islander, which are well-suited for the short runways of Polynesian atolls.

There are no immediate, official plans to reopen the airstrip. However, its reopening is highly probable and is a key feature in the potential future of the atoll. Real estate listings have heavily promoted the existence of the runway as a major asset for a potential buyer. Any future development, such as the creation of an ultra-exclusive luxury resort or a private estate, would almost certainly require the reactivation of the airstrip to provide access. Therefore, the prospect of reopening is entirely contingent on the sale of the atoll and the new owner's development plans.