A year after going digital, Raro Pass, formerly known as Chantal’s Discount Card, has gained a loyal following, offering locals and visitors alike discounts, online ticketing, and streamlined tourist information.

Touted as “your smart, easy, and helpful pass to get around Raro”, Raro Pass by Chantal Napa is helping visitors and locals to experience the best of Rarotonga. 

The entrepreneur is the brains behind Chantal’s Concierge, located at Fruits of Rarotonga, providing snorkels, masks, local information and is the home of her online show, Kia Orana Podcast. 

Her premises is still there, but her business has entered the digital era post-Covid-19. 

“I’d lost all my staff. I thought, how was I going to move forward with the concierge concept, with no staff? So I went digital.” 

Previously known as Chantal’s Discount Card, Raro Pass grants access to local business discounts and promotions, offers scan and pay capabilities, gives the user an easier way to make donations to local charities, and easier event ticketing facilities.

There are four Raro Pass categories: activities, dining, services and shopping. 

For businesses that don’t have their own website, Raro Pass can make it easier for visitors to look them up online during trip preparation. 

The event ticketing facility was put through its paces in October at the Raro Rugby 7s.

“They were kind enough to be our first event where people could buy tickets online, and also at the gate. We had four QR codes at the gate and those wanting to pay by card could just walk up, scan the code, pay their ticket and show the gate attendant. 

“It’s easy, there’s less cash, and it’s digitally automated for receipts.”

Raro Pass also offers marketing for businesses via its email list and social media channels. 

Napa hopes to extend the website’s range to Aitutaki, and she’s working on a map to make the user experience even more streamlined. 

“We’ve had feedback from visitors using Raro Pass that they would like a map with the location of where the businesses are that are offering discounts. They want to see the discounts surrounding them.”

She says Raro Pass will also help local staff to focus on their paid work without having to act as an information desk for “lost tourists”. 

“So many tourists need help. When they get into an Airbnb, they don’t always get a personal greeting. Some of them get a key under the mat. Some of them get off the plane at 11pm, whisked into a travel van, they get dropped off and think ‘okay. Where am I?” 

With Air New Zealand announcing flight deals from Auckland to Rarotonga for as low as $278 between April and June, Napa may be in for an influx of Raro Pass holders. 

Napa and her “IT magic guy” Haydyn Adams are constantly upgrading their platform, tweaking and responding to feedback, for a more user-friendly experience. 

“We could have 160,000 people come here. That’s 10 times our population. So those people know what a QR code does, those people know what a digital wallet is. This was built to help them get around Rarotonga.”

Raro Pass is free to use for two days, $10 for seven days, $20 for 14 days, $30 for 30 days and $50 for 90 days. It can be purchased online at www.raropass.com, and future date stamped so it’s ready to go on arrival in Rarotonga.