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.

Photo: RNZ / Nate McKinnon

“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.

Muri Beach, Rarotonga, Cook Islands. Photo: RNZ / Nate McKinnon

Karla Eggleton said it is a balancing act, while more tourists are wanted the lack of labour is a big issue.

“If we are expected to play host to the increase in visitor arrivals in the coming months, this will be one of the most important elements in the work that we need to be doing,” she said.

Business Director Steve Anderson said the severe worker shortage has been suffocating employers with around 700 vacancies in the Cook Islands, largely driven by people leaving for New Zealand.

He said he’s lost a quarter of his staff to Aotearoa despite paying thousands of dollars in relocation fees to bring workers over from the Philippines.

“They just need to consider how they would feel if Australia was actively recruiting their staff, how would they feel if they were taking somebody else’s staff,” he said.

Steve Anderson said there have been discussions around organizing a ‘one-off flight’ from Fiji to bring workers over, but it was not practical or cost-effective.

Immigration Cook Islands Executive Officer Amelia Fukofuka-Murare said Air New Zealand is offering special fares for travel from Fiji via New Zealand to the Cook Islands, for Cook Islands work permit holders.

Source – Radio NZ