Thank you for your support

My 5 years as Director of Marketing and at times Acting CEO have been years of great enjoyment and professional development. In that time I have seen the Corporation expand in incredibly positive ways. It has been a challenge and as we all know we have had highs and lows. As colleagues we have not always seen eye to eye but I am a firm believer a good healthy industry is about consultation and robust debate. The Corporation has in my time always been the central partner for negotiation and actions with all key stakeholders meaning, our Government, local community , the airlines , wholesalers, retailers, local industry, media, and other National Tourism offices. That is our core function and is stated clearly in our Act. Our Masterplan 2005-2015 is our Government signed off strategic document that when positioned with the National Sustainability Plan outlines the goals and objectives for the industry and our key stakeholders. In my time here as a team we have meet and delivered many of those objectives.
We have seen visitor numbers last year go over 100000 people - a prediction forecast by PATA in 2008. Excellent profile and promotions have rivaled our major competitors and have put us often ahead of our competition. Just look at any statistics generated by either PATA or SPTO and you will see that we are one of only a few Pacific Destinations that have achieved growth in markets not declines.
If we are now forecasting 150000 visitors that is excellent but over what time period? We must always remember that increases in tourism effect infrastructure. The health and well being of our country and people must come first. Tourism should and must work with the government departments to achieve sustainable tourism. It is not just about asking for more money it is about working more efficiently and regardless of what you are reading in the papers the team at the Corporation have worked to achieve destination profile that benefits all tourism operators across the board . So if we ask for increases in budgets let us remember that this can only be achieved when the government has the funds to spend. If we talk about depopulation then lets address it by providing good salaries and training for the Tourism sector.
The team here and in our international offices have established marketing promotions that have seen new cutting edge techniques that have rivaled and many times been copied by our competitors. The recent academy in Europe for example saw us for the first time engage a local Chef Tok from Pawpaw Patch as part of the promotion beginning the strategy of showcasing our cuisine as an integral message of the destination. Soon in the USA we will launch a promotion that sees us state quite clearly we are environmentally aware destination by promoting the Carbon Neutral Wedding packages. The stimulus campaigns in New Zealand and Australia achieved their goals of increasing sales motivating consumers to pick the Cook Islands ahead of our competitors and although some are not happy with an increase of 2000 visitors nor the spend remember this, in a year when tourism numbers were dropping and an economic environment never experienced before globally was all around us the Cook Islands achieved growth. Our UK office was the first to develop viral marketing with the shipwrecked campaign that saw over 14,063 participants all learning about the Cook Islands and promoting Aitutaki and the Cook Islands via online, print, TV and trade. These are real tangible promotions that increase interest and in turn sales.
We established an online strategy that Chris Ingram and the New Zealand Office have been championing with www.cookislandsexperience.com. This site allowed travelers to the Cook Islands to showcase their experiences through photos and video on the site providing peer to peer endorsement. The Corporations strategy has seen the development of microsites in our key source markets that speak directly to the consumers. These sites already utilize social media networks like Facebook and Twitter as the Corporation has been involved in that for the past 2 years.
The tourism website has been under change for the past 2 years and let’s be honest has not been up to scratch right from word go. This needs urgent attention and the passionate group of small business operators who have made their position known I applaud. I apologise for not getting back to you however please note that your concerns have been registered and that the team here will work to include you in the ongoing developments for the site. The vision for the site is a good one
When we discuss our competition - there is no change in who our competitors are . We all know who we compete against. What we have done in all of our markets is create innovative destination marketing campaigns and approaches that have been within the allocated budgets that have outsmarted our competitors and provided increased market share hence the increase in numbers in NZ, Australia and the USA. Our job is to market all levels of tourism business from the large to the small to Rarotonga to all our outer islands. At all levels our industry is a complex one and although the coming year may be a tough one we have a product that is much loved.
The Cook Islands is my home and I certainly am not going anywhere! To those of you that think you know why I resigned I suggest you talk to me first before you decide to speak for me in the papers. This is my first approach to the media on my resignation so I would appreciate that for anyone else who would like to fabricate why I am leaving that you have a good think as to why you want to do that. What is it that you thinking you are gaining!
For those of you that do know me, you know my work ethic and I appreciate the support and professionalism you have always shown.
Thank you for working with me through the good times and the bad. I look forward to catching up with you on other projects.
Glenda Tuaine

Herald Issue 463 10 June
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