The update of the Cook islands Tourism Master Plan was undertaken in two phases. 

Phase 1 comprised:

1. (1)statistical analysis (tourism, demographic and economic data) and review of reports and background papers;
   

2. (2)consultations with the Cook Islands Tourism Corporation (CITC), tourism industry, government, government departments, NGOs, and the communities in the vaka on Rarotonga;
   

3. (3)visits to all the inhabited Outer Islands (except Nassau, Suwarrow, and Palmerston) to consult with Island Councils and communities, and review status of tourism resources and relevant island economic and social circumstances;
   

4. (4)product analysis reviewing current and emerging product;
   

5. (5)competitor analysis including review of regional tourism trends particularly in terms of positioning and resources;
   

6. (6)review of international and regional aviation trends including discussions with Air Rarotonga, Air New Zealand and the CEO of CITC;
   

7. (7)analysis of sustainability and preparation of an initial report as a PowerPoint presentation which highlighted a number of very significant economic, social and environmental issues which the tourism industry and therefore the country faced given the dominant role of tourism in the economy;
   

8. (8)consultation on the first report through meetings with the House of Ariki, the Religious Advisory Council, vaka, industry, government departments, and political parties on Rarotonga, members of the industry and villages on Aitutaki and the broadcast (twice) of an hour long television programme, with video tapes for screening in the Outer Islands.
   

Phase 2 comprised:

1. (1)development of implementation framework;
   

2. (2)development of monitoring system and indicators;
   

3. (3)consultation on the implementation framework through a series of three newsletters; and
   

4. (4)preparation and presentation of the Final Report.
   

The geotourism strategy was presented to the CITC who adopted it in principle, subject to a further round of consultation.  At this point Nature intervened in the form of a cyclone.  The consultation was delayed and somewhat restricted in input.  The contributions were assessed but none warranted a change to the adoption of a geotourism approach.

Plan development

The review and consultation undertaken in Steps 1-7 identified a range of issues in the current state of tourism and the development path needed to realign tourism with the underlying principles.  Tourism on Rarotonga and Aitutaki displays many symptoms of what the National Geographic Society refers to as “destination drift”.  This reflects the fact that despite the partial implementation of a number of plans, development has been determined by a large number of individual (inevitably self-interested and often narrowly perceived) commercial decisions, rather than a collective vision and a plan for tourism.

This led to the conclusion that realignment with the tourism principles was fundamental to the new plan.  Furthermore, of the various styles of tourism, these principles are best expressed in the geotourism approach (rather than the more narrowly focused “ecotourism” or the “rest and recreation-style” which has become prevalent in Rarotonga).  

The idea of basing the new tourism plan on a geotourism approach was favourably received at the many presentations on the results of the consultation.  This included presentations to the traditional leaders who affirmed the adoption of an approach grounded in the indigenous Cook Islands culture.

CITC reviewed the presentation and suggested that the draft vision statement be broadened in scope from its original focus on being the ultimate South Pacific destination for the geotourist/interactive traveller.  A focused target market had been recommended in the draft for various reasons (many directly comparable to those prompting Tourism New Zealand to focus on the “Interactive Traveller”).  Staff and the Board, however, were concerned that such an approach was too limiting (which has not proven to be the case in New Zealand which has had record growth in recent years).

The update for the tourism master plan was finalised within the following framework:

1. vision: to be  “the ultimate South Pacific Island experience”;
   

2. the goal of tourism planning is to develop tourism in a way that sustains and enhances the well-being of resident Cook Islanders and their environment, economy, society, and culture;
   

3. the destination style to achieve this will be based on the geotourism approach; and
   

4. the plan is structured to address the quadruple bottom line (environment, economy, society, and culture) which is embedded in the definition of geotourism and the principles of tourism planning in the Cook Islands.

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