Aitutaki a drawcard for the Australian market
Sydney-Raro direct flight needs marketing support to work $400,000 toward Marketing Campaign?

The Australian market is very important to the Pacific being higher yield than those from our biggest market, the Kiwis from Aotearoa which our mainstay of the industry.
The other important finding is that Australians are very attracted to Aitutaki as a destination and with the right marketing could be persuaded to visit us rather than say, Vanuatu, Fiji or Samoa.
The upcoming direct Sydney-Raro flights are an excellent way forward but needs marketing support to work because unless the numbers stack up (in terms of people and yield) over the four month trial period, it will be a wasted opportunity.
Unfortunately, ‘the cupboard is bare’ and the $1million that was going to be committed towards a Tourism Marketing plan is no longer available, according to the chairman of the board, Tata Crocombe.
The reality is that the Government has had to commit their funds to deal with the disaster zone created by Cyclone Pat in Aitutaki as well as having to pay out for Toagate. However, after searching in every nook and cranny, they have managed to find $400,000 to use toward a Tourism Marketing Campaign.
It remains to be seen whether this is a statement of fact or an aspiration which has yet to be ratified.

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