The Cook Islands Tourism Corporation (CIT) is leading an essential journey to develop a Destination Management Plan to guide tourism sustainably.

Known as ‘Our Paradise, Our Promise’, this initiative extends beyond CIT, establishing a dedicated governance and management framework outside of the corporation itself. CIT’s role is to lead and facilitate its creation, ensuring the plan reflects the Cook Islands community’s vision and values.

The Our Paradise, Our Promise process builds on the Love our Little Paradise brand strategy, which embodies the commitment to protect and cherish the islands.

With the strategy setting the promise, Our Paradise, Our Promise is the delivery—an actionable plan to align tourism demand with the wellbeing of our environment, people, and culture.

To support this vision, CIT welcomed Dr David Ermen to Rarotonga and Aitutaki last week. An expert in destination management, Dr Ermen conducted training with CIT staff and engaged with initial stakeholder groups, laying the groundwork for this collaborative effort. His guidance underscores the importance of creating a model that balances economic opportunities with the Cook Islands’ natural and cultural heritage.

“CIT is honoured to lead the Our Paradise, Our Promise initiative,” says Karla Eggelton, CEO of CIT. “With Love our Little Paradise as our foundation, this process is about delivering on that promise. Dr. Ermen’s visit has set the stage for a framework that stands independently, guiding our tourism sector with mana tiaki—guardianship of our islands—at its core.”

As the Destination Management Plan progresses, it will serve as a roadmap for sustainable tourism management, providing structure to balance tourism’s benefits with its impact.

For more information on how to stay involved or provide input, please visit www.linktr.ee/loveourlittleparadise.