Tourism facing huge challenges

Cook Islands report at Forum Economic Ministers Meeting 2009

Associate Minister of Finance, Junior Maoate delivered the Cook Islands report to the Forum.
The biggest financial challenge for the Cook Islands from the global recession has been the impact on tourism to our country. According to the Associate Minister, there are no current campaigns being run by Cook Islands Tourism owing to the lack of funds.
A new brand is needed as the current ‘Live differently’ brand is not really working and there has been ‘no big change’ in tourism numbers. Sales past the month of October are said to be ‘very light’ and more needs to be done to maintain the increase in our numbers reported earlier this year.
The cruise ship day trippers are promising, in theory, but the reality is that if there is bad weather and rough seas the captains will not allow their visitors to come ashore for safety and comfort reasons. There have been many calls for an extra port in Arorangi (near the school) to handle the cruise traffic or perhaps at Titikaveka.
Another challenge is the cost of airfares which are more than double the price of equivalent fares to say Fiji, Samoa and Vanuatu quoting round trip fares of $300 to those countries compared to $800 return to Tumutevarovaro.
Much of the presentation is based on the recommendations from the Task Force which recommends strengthening aviation links beyond Air New Zealand and Pacific Blue.
They recommend exploring possible links with Jet Star (the budget airline under Qantas), Air Pacific, Air Vanuatu and Air Tahiti Nui. The old chestnut of having a national airline has again been floated but no financial details as to the funding or viability of such a move has been presented to anyone. Other ideas include co-branding in the international markets with say Tourism New Zealand.
Literally growing the role of local agriculture in order to reduce the dependence on imported foods is floated and it is noted that many such market gardens have been revived all over Rarotonga and possibly the outer islands as well.
Incentives such as no-interest or low-interest loans for agricultural machinery could be the tonic needed to aid the growers and farmers of our country.

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