Cook Islands Tourism is holding focus group sessions to gather input for its new tourism plan, moving from growth-focused to sustainable tourism.

The Pillar Lead Focus Group Sessions, which started this week with the facilitation of in-depth “focus group” discussions, is the next phase of the Cook Islands Destination Stewardship Planning (DSP) process.

Initial public consultations started last October, followed by the second phase in January this year, facilitated by the Cook Islands Tourism.

These discussions centred on “Our Paradise, Our Promise/To Tatou Parataito, To Tatou Korero’motu”, focusing on the four pillars: Environment/Ao Rangi, Culture/Peu Māori, Economy/Tuanga Kimi Puapinga, and Community/Te Au Putuputuanga Katoatoa.

Lead consultant, Dr David Ermen, and project lead, Lisa Sadaraka, led the “robust” discussions on community and culture this week.

This morning, discussions on the economy will take place, and tomorrow, the environment session will be heard in the afternoon.

Sadaraka said the “findings” from the previous public consultations are shared at the focus group meetings, facilitating a deeper discussion on the following key areas:

▪ The key challenges facing the Cook Islands and the role tourism can play in addressing them.

▪ The goals that tourism can support stakeholders in your pillar to achieve.

▪ Existing strategies, initiatives, and programmes that are already driving positive change, and that the Stewardship Plan can align with and build upon.

▪ Potential new projects or activities that the PMU could initiate under the Stewardship Plan to advance progress toward the goals identified for your pillar.

These interactive sessions are designed to encourage robust discussion and gather valuable input from participants.

On Tuesday, April 1, a combined session will be held from 9am to 10pm where discussions on all pillars will take place.

The stewardship plan is about advancing an all-of-government approach to development through tourism.

The three steps are to develop the Destination Stewardship Plan (January-June, 2025), implement priority projects (July, 2025-June, 2026), and the ongoing implementation and monitoring (July, 2026 onwards). The destination stewardship model represents a transformative shift in the Cook Islands’ tourism strategy, moving from a growth-driven approach to a more holistic one. This model integrates economic prosperity, environmental protection, and cultural preservation, aligning with the Cook Islands’ National Sustainable Development Agenda (NSDA+) and global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).