Cook Islands Tourism has completed its first Tourism Academy Pilot Programme, a six-week hybrid learning course delivered during August and September, aimed at strengthening local understanding of sustainable, high-value tourism. The pilot brought together 12 participants, a blend of secondary school students and individuals already working in the sector, to explore what a thriving, sustainable tourism future looks like for the Cook Islands.

The programme introduced participants to six core topics, including the impact of tourism, principles of high-value tourism, real sustainability in practice, building positive local impact, effective storytelling, and exploring tourism trends at home and abroad. These sessions helped participants develop practical skills such as identifying tourism trade-offs, applying sustainability principles to local contexts, and designing authentic visitor experiences that support both communities and the environment.

Industry Development Manager Tina Kae said the pilot represented an important step in building local capability across the sector. She noted that the learning experience aligned strongly with the values of the Love Our Little Paradise movement. “Our people understand better than anyone what we need to protect, and why tourism must remain a force for good. This programme helped reinforce that sustainable tourism is not just an economic driver - it’s about ensuring our natural resources, culture, and community wellbeing endure for generations.”

Participants echoed the value of the programme. Terina Karaiti, a hospitality teacher at Nukutere College, said the content strengthened her confidence to teach tourism more meaningfully. Ellenoah Oti, a Level 3 Tourism student at Tereora College, described the learning as “insightful, refreshing, and different from what we normally do in the classroom,” highlighting the value of exposure to real-world examples.

Director of Destination Development Brad Kirner said collaboration was key to the pilot’s success, with Grow Tourism providing the online platform and developing the digital content, and CITTI and Tereora College supporting alignment with existing education pathways. “This shared approach gives us a strong foundation to build from as we look at what future iterations of the Academy could become”.

Cook Islands Tourism is now exploring ways to develop a sustainable long-term learning model grounded in Cook Islands case studies, alongside work on a complementary bridging course designed to prepare people for employment in the sector, with applications expected to open in 2026. The organisation will also continue working closely with CITTI and the national college to explore how elements of the Tourism Academy can be introduced into future classroom learning, helping strengthen tourism understanding and opportunity for young Cook Islanders from the outset.