New marine tourism rules and guidelines are imminent as Cook Islands Tourism Corporation finalises the details.

In an email to Cook Islands News, corporation chief executive Karla Eggelton confirmed it is working with tourism operators in an effort to adopt acceptable standards.  

“Guidelines for turtle tours have been in place since May 2022 with an agreed and signed MOU with the operators.  Earlier this year, Cook Islands Tourism met with operators and a review of the guidelines took place.  The current status is that now some operators cannot agree to the guidelines (in whole or in part), and so we are working through acceptable standards,” Eggelton said.

“Everyone wants visitors to be safe, but everyone has their own opinion and approach to safety.  Landing a unanimous position is proving difficult. More recently land owners along Avaavaroa passage again expressed concern around practices taking place in the turtle tour sphere.”

Eggelton said the corporation has not ruled out seeking legislative changes.

“This is not the preference of Cook Islands Tourism, it will have knock-on effects and compliance and monitoring will be both costly and complex,” Eggelton said.

She said there have been some advances and there would be an announcement to be made before the end of the week for next steps.

“The preferred alternative of working together has been a proven formula in the past – I hope we can resolve this quickly and to the benefit of all. People’s lives are at risk, safety is paramount.”

Eggelton said Cook Islands Tourism endeavours to work with all operators to develop agreed guidelines that businesses will voluntarily abide by so that we can keep visitors and guides and people safe.

“At a public meeting held early 2022, the Vaimaanga aronga mana led by Papa Tuingariki Short and Selina Napa, the community expressed their concerns and tasked the Corporation and turtle tour operators to work together. “

Eggelton’s comments come after concern from both industry and tourists about overcrowding in the Avaavaroa passage. There have been calls for a limit of four people per guide and certified lifeguards by international standards.

There are currently five turtle tour operators who work within the Avaavaroa passage.

Cook Islands News also understands the Ministry for Marine Resources and the National Environment Services will soon be putting out marine tourism regulations to support the health and biodiversity of lagoons and their inhabitants.

MMR general secretary Pamela Maru has been contacted for comment.

Most turtle tour operators were unavailable to comment when contacted on Wednesday.

However, Kitesup owner-operator Brynn Acheson-Nooroa said it would get in touch with Cook Islands Tourism soon.

She reiterated her company’s concerns with the “self-policing” of the current situation, particularly when it came to aspects such as the number of people per guide, and what sort of training guides received.

“The biggest thing is how the rules will be enforced, how the guides will be trained, and what the consequences are likely to be for non-compliance,” Acheson-Nooroa said.