Tourism industry desperate for workers
Avarua: The Cook Islands needs more direct flights to restart the tourism industry and hundreds more workers but New Zealand’s travel requirements are slowing the process to bring in more workers.
Although travel restrictions are loosening, Cook Islands tourism operators are struggling to find staff.
On May 1 pre-departure testing for international arrivals will no longer be required. Also, direct flights from countries other than New Zealand will be allowed entry.
Tourism Cook Islands Chief Executive and former Border Easement Taskforce spokesperson Karla Eggleton said the country’s maritime border is also being reopened and people under the age of 16 will not need proof of vaccination.
“Any country in the world if there is a plane and they want to fly direct to the Cook Islands they will be allowed to. We can look forward to flights originating from the likes of Australia, North America, the United States, and Tahiti,” she said.
The Cook Islands started opening its borders to the world in January, but the majority of visitors are still mainly New Zealand and Australian residents.
Eggleton said the main reason for this is that currently, the only way to get to the Cook Islands is via New Zealand. All transiting passengers must meet their border entry requirements, making Aotearoa the gatekeeper to the islands.
“We haven’t been able to move because New Zealand hasn’t moved,” The Cook Islands Tourism Industry Council CEO, Liana Scott said.
She said the changes on May 1st are expected to push occupancy rates up to 80 percent. RNZ Pacific