Cook Islands Tourism Focuses On Japanese Market

Cook Islands Tourism Corporation is looking at avenues to improve its market in Japan.
Director of sales and marketing Karla Eggelton is currently in Japan on a six day tourism related tour, attending workshops to better promote the destination in the Japanese market.
In her first three days there, Eggelton joined more than 60 senior marketing executives from 25 countries and regions across the Asia Pacific Digital in a marketing for Destination Management/Marketing Organisations workshop.
The workshop was coordinated by Trip Advisor and comprised classroom instruction and discussion about the emerging digital trends facing destinations as well as understanding effective ways in optimising the opportunities.
“Key to the success of the event was to understand the role and importance of the digital space, the impact of social media and user generated content on consumer buying behaviour and the increased shift and growth of experiential travel,” said the Cook Islands Tourism in its weekly newsletter.
“Key takeaways from this for the corporation was new and improved learnings of the digital space, and the operational changes required within the organisation to effect and manage this platform.
“Eggelton intends to share findings with the corporation and the wider industry later in the year.”
While in Japan, Eggelton will also be meeting with eight wholesale partners and two airlines to discuss the Japanese market and look at future opportunities.
Japan has seen a 64 per cent increase in visitor arrivals to the Cook Islands.
“The Japanese travellers are seeking interactive cultural experiences, appreciative of natural beauty and landscape where they feel safe and the hosts are friendly,” said the Cook Islands Tourism.
Cook Islands Tourism representative in Japan Kei Mori has also been working with the market there and continues to foster relationships with new and existing partners.
Meanwhile a new “business to consumer” wholesaler to the Cook Islands, the Club Tourism International, completed their first small group trip of 15 to the country late last month.
The trip was very successful and members of the group (including the tour leader) rated the experience 4.5 out of 5.
“To provide relativity, other similar programmes running for some time rate about 4.2 or 4.3. There is a planned trip for a small group of 10 in August.”
CTI is a membership based company with three million subscribers, of which 300,000 subscribers are interested in international holiday travels.
Photo: Cook Islands Tourism’s director of sales and marketing Karla Eggelton (left) and Cook Islands Tourism representative Kei Mori (right) with Club Tourism International Oceania team members Ikumi Kohara (second from right) and Shochi Ito (second from left) who led their fi rst Japanese group to the Cook Islands last month
 
(Source: Cook Islands News 12 July 2017)