Miss Cook Islands Association (MCIA) is calling on Cook Islands women aged 18-27 to join their personal development programme.

The programme, according to the association, is aimed to give those interested the courage and confidence to ignite their inner beauty and mana.

On Sunday morning, the association made a call on their social media page to young women interested in being part of the programme and potentially elected as Miss Cook Islands 2024.

Applications for the programme close on February 29.

The association's team is ready and available to talk to those interested in joining the personal development programme.

Although missing out on the Miss Pacific Islands pageant in Nauru next month, the association aims to focus on the Miss World pageant later in the year. This is the second year Cook Islands has missed the Pacific Islands pageant.

Association secretary, Rohan Ellis, had earlier confirmed their non-participation, citing scheduling conflicts with their own 2024 pageant planned for preparing representatives for Miss World and Miss International.

He had also previously emphasised the need for careful planning and sponsor partnerships to organise a professional pageant offering a valuable development programme for contestants to ready themselves for the big stage.