Executive Summary

This report provides an analysis of the International Visitor Survey (IVS) data from July 2024 June 2025 to understand the visitor experience and gain insights into the Cook Islands tourism industry.

Key findings include:

1. Visitor Profile: Most visitors to the Cook Islands were from New Zealand (65%), followed by Australia (23%) and North America (5%). Among respondents, 12% were aged 70 and over, with an average household income of NZD 167,051. Most visitors travelled with a partner or family, while fewer travelled alone or with friends.
2. Visitor Characteristics & Preferences: The top three reasons for visiting the Cook Islands were holidays (79%), visiting friends and relatives (6%), and weddings (6%). On average, visitors stayed 8.7 nights, with 54% being first-time travellers. Most opted for resorts or holiday homes, preferring mid-range to luxury accommodations. Popular activities included swimming, snorkelling, lagoon cruises, island night feasts and shows, as well as visits to traditional villages, the museum, and the cultural centre.
3. Information & Decision Making: Friends and family (54%) were the most influential sources of information, followed by previous visits (36%) and social media (18%). Key factors in choosing to travel to the Cook Islands included its reputation as a safe destination, warm and sunny weather, and quiet and relaxing atmosphere. Most visitors booked their travel directly with the airline (54%), through an online travel website or app (25%), or via an in-store independent travel agent (21%).
4. Visitor Spending & Impact: The average prepaid expenditure per person was NZD1,123, and the average local spend per person per day was NZD1,592. The estimated return to the economy was 40%. Most spending was on accommodation, dining, and shopping. The tourism sector significantly supports the Cook Islands’ economy by boosting local businesses and employment.
5. Visitor Satisfaction: Visitors expressed high satisfaction with their experience in the Cook Islands, particularly with the clean environment, beautiful scenery, engaging activities, attractions, entertainment and the peaceful atmosphere. Areas identified for improvement included more reliable public services and transport, upgraded infrastructure, a wider range of inclusive activities and events, as well as better value for money and price control. Despite these challenges, 98% of visitors indicated they would recommend the Cook Islands to family and friends, and 93% showed a strong intention to return.

Executive Summary

This report provides an analysis of the International Visitor Survey (IVS) data from April to June 2025 to understand the visitor experience and gain insights into the Cook Islands tourism industry.

Key findings include:

1. Visitor Profile: Most visitors to the Cook Islands were from New Zealand (66%), followed by Australia (24%) and North America (4%). Among respondents, 10% were aged 70 and over, with an average household income of NZD 167,875. The majority travelled with a partner or family, while fewer visited alone or with friends.
2. Visitor Characteristics & Preferences: The top three reasons for visiting the Cook Islands were holidays (80%), visiting friends and relatives (5%), and weddings (5%). The average length of stay was 8.5 nights, with 57% being first-time visitors. Most stayed in resorts or holiday homes, favouring mid-range to luxury accommodations. Popular activities included swimming, snorkelling, and lagoon cruises, while visitors also enjoyed island night feasts and shows, as well as visits to traditional villages, the museum, and the cultural centre.
3. Information & Decision Making: Friends and family (54%) remained the most influential sources of information for visitors, followed by previous visits (33%) and social media (20%). Key motivators for choosing the Cook Islands as a travel destination included its reputation for safety, warm and sunny climate, and tranquil, relaxing atmosphere. Most visitors arranged their travel directly with airlines (55%), through online travel websites or apps (25%), or via in-store independent travel agents (19%).
4. Visitor Spending & Impact: The average prepaid expenditure per person was NZD 1,156, while the average local spend per person per day was NZD 1,447. The estimated return to the local economy stood at 40%. Most of the visitor spending was directed toward accommodation, dining, and vehicle rentals. Overall, the tourism sector continues to play a vital role in supporting the Cook Islands’ economy through its contribution to local businesses and employment.
5. Visitor Satisfaction: Visitors expressed a high level of satisfaction with their overall experience in the Cook Islands, particularly appreciating the range of activities and attractions, entertainment options, the friendliness of the locals, and the peaceful atmosphere. Areas identified for improvement included the reliability of public services and transport, airport facilities, flight connectivity and affordability, as well as the quality of accommodation and hotel experiences. Despite these challenges, an impressive 98% of visitors indicated they would recommend the Cook Islands to family and friends, while 93% expressed a strong intention to return.

Executive Summary

This report provides an analysis of the International Visitor Survey (IVS) data from January to March 2025 to understand the visitor experience and gain insights into the Cook Islands tourism industry.

Key findings include:

1. Visitor Profile: Most visitors to the Cook Islands were from New Zealand (57%), followed by Australia (25%) and North America (7%). Among respondents, 12% were aged 70 and over, with an average household income of NZD 169,021. Most visitors travelled with a partner or family, while fewer travelled alone or with friends.
2. Visitor Characteristics & Preferences: The top three reasons for visiting the Cook Islands were holidays (79%), visiting friends and relatives (6%), and weddings (6%). The average length of stay was 9.1 nights, with 52% being first-time visitors. Most stayed in resorts or holiday homes, favouring mid-range to luxury accommodations. Popular activities included swimming, snorkelling, lagoon cruises, cultural tours, and beach relaxation. Visitors also enjoyed island night feasts and shows, as well as visits to traditional villages, the museum, and the cultural centre.
3. Information & Decision Making: Friends and family (53%) were the most influential sources of information, followed by previous visits (36%) and social media (17%). Key factors in choosing to travel to the Cook Islands included its reputation as a safe destination, warm and sunny weather, and appealing beaches for swimming. Most visitors booked their travel directly with the airline (52%), through an online travel website or app (27%), or via an in-store independent travel agent (20%).
4. Visitor Spending & Impact: The average prepaid expenditure per person was NZD1,136, and the average local spend per person per day was NZD1,447. The estimated return to the economy was 40%. Most spending was on accommodation, dining, and vehicle rentals. The tourism sector significantly supports the Cook Islands’ economy by boosting local businesses and employment.
5. Visitor Satisfaction: Visitors reported high satisfaction with their experience in the Cook Islands, especially appreciating the activities, attractions, entertainment, friendly locals, and the peaceful atmosphere. Areas for improvement included more reliable public services and transport, better infrastructure, diverse dining options, and stronger marketing efforts. Despite these challenges, 99% of visitors said they would recommend the Cook Islands to family and friends, and 93% expressed a strong willingness to return.

Executive Summary

This report provides an analysis of the International Visitor Survey (IVS) data from October to December 2024 to understand the visitor experience and gain insights into the Cook Islands tourism industry.

Key findings include:

1. Visitor Profile: The majority of visitors to the Cook Islands were from New Zealand (62%), followed by Australia (25%) and North America (5%). Amongst the respondents, 12% were aged 70 and over, and the average household income of NZD 160,302. Most visitors travelled with their partner or family, with a smaller proportion traveling alone or with friends.
2. Visitor Characteristics & Preferences: The top three purposes for visiting were holidays (75%), visiting friends and relatives (8%), and wedding (7%). The average length of stay was 9.2 nights, and 33% of respondents were first-time visitors. Visitors predominantly stayed in resorts or holiday homes, with a preference for mid-range to luxury accommodations. Popular activities included snorkelling, diving, cultural tours, and beach relaxation. Visitors also enjoyed the local cuisine and hospitality.
3. Information & Decision Making: Friends and family (54%) were the most influential sources of information, followed by previous visits (35%) and social media (17%). Key factors in choosing to travel to the Cook Islands included its warm and sunny weather, safety, and the quiet, relaxing atmosphere. Most visitors booked their travel and accommodation online, with a significant number using travel agents.
4. Visitor Spending & Impact: The average prepaid expenditure per person was NZD983, and the average local spend per person per day was NZD2,370. The estimated return to the economy was 40%. Spending was mainly on accommodation, food and beverages, and activities. The tourism sector had a significant impact on the Cook Islands’ economy, supporting local businesses and employment.
5. Visitor Satisfaction: Visitors reported high levels of satisfaction with their experience in the Cook Islands, particularly appreciating the friendly locals, beautiful beaches, and unique cultural experiences. Some areas identified for improvement included better infrastructure, more diverse dining options, and enhanced marketing efforts to attract more visitors. Despite these challenges, 97% of visitors indicated that they would recommend the Cook Islands to their family and friends and expressed a strong willingness to return.

The report also highlights areas for improvement, including pricing and availability of food and drinks, entertainment, and activities, as well as the interactions with local people and the standard of service. Despite these areas for improvement, 98% of visitors indicated that they would recommend the Cook Islands to their family and friends and expressed a strong willingness to return.

Executive Summary

This report provides an analysis of the International Visitor Survey (IVS) data from July to September 2024 to understand the visitor experience and gain insights into the Cook Islands tourism industry.

Key findings include:

1. Visitor Profile: The majority of visitors came from New Zealand (71%), Australia (20%), and North America (4%). Among the respondents, 14% were aged 70 and over, and the average household income was NZD 156,849.
2. Visitor Characteristics & Preferences: The top three purposes for visiting were holidays (81%), visiting friends and relatives (5%), and attending a wedding (5%). The average length of stay was 9 nights, with Rarotonga being the most visited island (98%), followed by Aitutaki (27%).
3. Information & Decision Making: Friends and family (55%) were the most influential source of information, followed by previous visits (40%) and social media (19%). Key factors in choosing to travel to the Cook Islands included its warm and sunny weather, safety, and the quiet, relaxing atmosphere.
4. Visitor Spending and Impact: The average prepaid expenditure per person was NZD2,570, and the average local spend per person per day was NZD212. The estimated return to the economy was 40%.
5. Visitor Satisfaction: Visitors were generally satisfied with their overall experience in the Cook Islands, particularly highlighting the friendliness and hospitality of the locals, as well as the safety and security. They also praised the helpfulness and service quality at the visitor information centres.

The report also highlights areas for improvement, including public services, infrastructure, internet and transport, as well as accommodation standards, hotel experiences, and the quality of food and drinks offered at restaurants and cafes, along with pricing and availability. Despite these areas for improvement, 98% of visitors indicated they would recommend the Cook Islands to their family and friends and expressed a strong willingness to return.