Megan Singleton: BloggerAtLarge.com writer on Cook Islands tourism figures exceeding industry expectations

Cooks Islands tourism figures have exceeded industry expectations for the second year in a row.

After a Covid-induced downturn, travel stats surpassed predicted figures for the 2023 year - and 2024 is on track to record a similar boom.

BloggerAtLarge.com writer Megan Singleton says it's likely over 115,000 Kiwi travellers will visit the region by the end of the year alone.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Sunday Session podcast with Francesca Rudgin
from News Talks EDB Travel with Wendy wo Tours unique
fully inclusive tours around the world.

Speaker 2 (00:19):
In Life from Raratanga, we're doing with our travel correspondent
Meghan Singleton.

Speaker 3 (00:22):
Good morning, Good morning, Kurana. I hope you can hear
me right because I'm on my.

Speaker 4 (00:29):
Yeah.

Speaker 2 (00:29):
Well we could until you said that and then you disappeared.
What's the temperature like in Ratana?

Speaker 4 (00:36):
It's a lovely Balmie twenty five. It's quite muggy, but
it's a bit breezy. It's actually quite lovely because.

Speaker 3 (00:43):
It's not boiling hot summer.

Speaker 4 (00:45):
And I'm standing at my resort little room looking out
across the pool and across the lagoon, and it's a
whale watching season, so every now and again people leap
up off the bean bags and have a look at
the spout in the water beyond the lagoon. It's terribly exciting,
and that's why I actually chose this time a year
to come back, because last time last year I was
here in March, which was also lovely. But this is

(01:08):
while watching season, so here I am keen to look fantastic.

Speaker 2 (01:12):
Now I know that you're hosting sixteen women, you're on
a tour over there, and I'm presuming that they all
came from all different parts of around the country to
fly out. I'm hearing a lot more now about people
staying at the airport hotels in Auckland before taking international flights.

Speaker 4 (01:29):
Yes, well, now the brand new Pullman's opened right there,
so you've got the Novtel and its sister property, the Pullman.
They're literally across the concourse once you step out of
their arrival gates. So actually I stayed there. I went
and bought myself the Apple Plus program and that gives
you a free night trip for young players. Though make
sure you tell them that when you book, and tell
them when you're booking dinner that you're using your fifty

(01:50):
percent discount. Anyway, we sorted that out at six in
the morning the next day and it was all good.
But I did get a few stats out of Cook
Islands tourism. Just I thought it might be interesting for
listeners because in twenty three and twenty four there've never
been more Keiwi's visiting the Cook Islands than never before.
Even cod they expect one hundred and fifteen thousand of
us to come here just this year alone.

Speaker 3 (02:11):
And what I love.

Speaker 4 (02:12):
About it is it only takes one hour drive around
the whole island if you were going to do that,
So you're only ever thirty minutes from the furthest point.
And there's lots and lots of choices cafes and hotels
and bars and restaurants.

Speaker 3 (02:24):
And we've just spent the morning at the Lovely Market.

Speaker 4 (02:27):
I bought a little dress and everyone's buying shell ear
rings and yeah, so it's just such a wonderful place
to come, either to flying flop or to fly and
be busy and explore and go out in the water
and do turtle snorkeling and hire an e bike or
do whatever it's great.

Speaker 2 (02:44):
With the while watching. Can you appreciate it from the
shore or do you get a better experience if maybe
you head out on the water.

Speaker 4 (02:53):
Yeah, well you definitely would if you went out on
the water, And I think you can even swim in
them if they don't whizz off away from you.

Speaker 3 (02:59):
To be honest, it would depend totally where you are.

Speaker 4 (03:01):
And there are some higher locations to watch them from,
some bars co cocktail as one at Black Rock, which
we're heading to probably tomorrow, and we hope to be
able to see them.

Speaker 3 (03:13):
Yeah, I'm not sure.

Speaker 4 (03:13):
We're on the West coast, which is actually another great
spot to be away from the predominantly easterly wind. So
if you are looking for where to stay, the East
coast results are quite a good idea.

Speaker 3 (03:23):
And I would say one tip bring your.

Speaker 4 (03:25):
Air plugs for the roosters that go off like firecrackers
all night, and your mossie repellent and many of these
sweet So.

Speaker 2 (03:34):
The roosters going twenty four seven, are they as opposed
to morning.

Speaker 4 (03:38):
Till about once every two hours starting from before midnight.

Speaker 3 (03:43):
You just get back to sleep and then one fire
is on it. Okay, it's fine.

Speaker 4 (03:47):
There's chickens everywhere and it's very sweet. You just need
your air plugs to appreciate the cuteness.

Speaker 2 (03:53):
Well, look, I wouldn't complain. You're in Rata, you know,
and it's twenty five degrees and you've got some whales
in the near distance. I think it's all amazing. We
shall keep an eye out for more on your trip.
You'll be able to find that at blogger at large
dot com.

Speaker 1 (04:09):
For more from the Sunday session with Francesca Rudkin. Listen
live to News Talks it B from nine am Sunday,
or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio