New executive members for the 2024-25 financial year will be elected at the Cook Islands Tourism Industry Council annual general meeting on Wednesday.

Open to all tourism operators and financial members, president Liana Scott says a number of issues will be discussed at this week’s AGM to be held at the Ocean Escape Resort.

“Cook Island Tourism Industry Council Executive have almost completed another busy term. The AGM will provide all members with a financial update, review of activity throughout the year, successes and matters still pending,” said Scott, the general manager of the Muri Beach Club Hotel.

Scott, who has been president since 2020, encouraged more owner/operators involved in the Cook Islands tourism industry to play a stronger role in the projects adopted by the council as working projects for the year.

“Anyone involved in tourism, whether it be a tour, restaurant, bungalow, hotel, motel, then we would love you to attend, and even better consider being nominated to join the Council and/or Executive,” she said.

“We are the voice of the operators – the lobbying, influence and conversation this organisation participates in, does, I believe, positively position industry in a well-rounded way, balancing economic and social benefits.”

The AGM will elect office bearers following an acknowledgement to the current executive members for their generous long hours of contribution from their “already very busy schedules”.

“If you are unsure if you are a paid-up member, or would like to become a member, please contact Cook Islands Tourism Industry Council secretary@citourismindustrycouncil.com,” Scott added.

The tourism industry is experiencing record arrivals and is on track to achieve a new benchmark for total arrivals in the calendar year ending this December.

In the 2023/24 financial year from July 1, 2023, to June 30, 2024, New Zealand accounted for 68 per cent of the market share of the arrivals, followed by Australia at 20 per cent. For the period, total arrivals to the Cook Islands were 163,552, and the final three months – April to June 2024 – set new records for visitor arrivals.

This April, 13,968 arrivals were recorded, 15,790 in May and 16,191 in June. The July figures, which has been delayed and expected to be out this week, are tipped to topple the previous record of 18,612 arrivals in 2019.

In the first six months of 2024, from January to June, a record 75,435 visitors touched down in the Cook Islands.

The highest total visitor arrivals for a calendar year from January to December were recorded in 2019 when 171,550 visited our shores, followed by 168,760 in 2018 and 161,362 in 2017.

Following the Covid-19 pandemic years, which resulted in travel restrictions and border closures, visitor numbers bounced back to 113,551 in 2022 and 143,506 last year.

ANZ bank economists earlier this year forecast inbound demand to grow 2 per cent to 175,000, outperforming 2019 arrivals. Visitor growth is trending at 4 per cent on 2019 numbers based on the first six months of this year’s arrival figures.

Cook Islands has also been ranked as the second most recommended destination globally with a 93 per cent satisfaction rate, particularly among visitors from New Zealand, Australia, South Africa, Canada and the UK.