Pacific Tourism Organisation and Cook Islands Tourism Release Key Insights from International Visitor Surveys

The Pacific Tourism Organisation (SPTO), through the Pacific Tourism Data Initiative (PTDI) in collaboration with the Cook Islands Tourism (CIT), has released five comprehensive reports based on the International Visitor Survey (IVS). These reports span the periods from July 2023 to June 2024, offering crucial insights into the preferences, spending habits, and overall experiences of international visitors to the Cook Islands.

Covering multiple quarters—July-September 2023, October-December 2023, January-March 2024, April-June 2024, and a full annual report from July 2023-June 2024—these surveys provide a rich source of data to help SPTO and CIT better understand visitor behavior. This data will be instrumental in enhancing tourism offerings to meet the evolving demands of travelers and maintain the Cook Islands’ status as a must-visit destination.

CIT Chief Executive Officer, Karla Eggleton, commended the partnership with SPTO, highlighting the importance of these findings for the future of the Cook Islands’ tourism industry.

“These reports offer invaluable insights that will enable us to elevate the visitor experience and strengthen the Cook Islands’ reputation as a unique and captivating tourism destination. We are grateful for SPTO’s continuous guidance and support in delivering these essential surveys,” Eggleton said.

“With the detailed data provided by these reports, the Cook Islands tourism industry is well-positioned to adapt and thrive, ensuring it meets the expectations of future travelers while preserving the island’s charm and authenticity.”

Key Insights from the Reports:

• Visitor Demographics and Profiles: Across the four quarters, New Zealand remained the largest source of visitors, accounting for an average of 60% of total arrivals. Australia followed with 22%, while smaller yet growing proportions of visitors came from North America, Europe, and the United States.

The majority of visitors were aged between 50-59 years, with a significant portion (around 10%) aged 70 and above. The average household income across the year ranged between NZD 140,000 and NZD 160,000, indicating a relatively affluent visitor base.

• Visitor Preferences: Holidays were the primary reason for visiting the Cook Islands, with 77% of visitors across all periods citing leisure as their main motivation. Secondary reasons included attending weddings, visiting friends and relatives, and attending special sporting events. The average length of stay ranged from 8 to 9.5 nights, with Rarotonga (visited by over 98% of visitors) being the most popular destination, followed by Aitutaki.
• Visitor Spending and Economic Impact: The average prepaid expenditure per visitor was consistent across the year, ranging from NZD 2,200 to NZD 2,544. Local spending averaged NZD 196 to NZD 262 per day, contributing significantly to the local economy. The overall economic return to the Cook Islands was estimated at 40%, a stable figure throughout the year.
• Visitor Satisfaction: Visitors reported high levels of satisfaction with their Cook Islands experience. The friendliness of locals, quality of service, and availability of information were consistently praised. Despite a few areas for improvement, including public services, infrastructure, pricing, and availability of food and drinks, over 98% of visitors indicated they would recommend the Cook Islands to friends and family and expressed a strong willingness to return.

Emphasising the importance of PTDI in providing actionable insights, SPTO CEO Christopher Cocker, mentioned that PTDI is instrumental in helping understand tourism dynamics in the Cook Islands and the region.

“By leveraging data-driven insights, this initiative helps policymakers, businesses, and other stakeholders understand tourism dynamics in the Cook Islands and other Pacific Island countries. The IVS report is just one example of how SPTO is committed to delivering timely and relevant information to support sustainable tourism development,” Mr Cocker said.

The PTDI is a component of the SPTO Phase 2 project on Pacific Digital Tourism Transformation, funded by the New Zealand Government through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) and committed to enabling evidence-based decision-making through the annual publication of three pivotal reports: a bi-annual International Visitor Survey (IVS), an annual Business Confidence Index (BCI), and an annual Community Attitude Survey (CAS) from ten Pacific Island nations (Cook Islands, Niue, PNG, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Tonga, Kiribati, Timor Leste, and FSM-Yap).

For more information on these reports and the insights provided, please contact the SPTO team.