The 2024 Cook Islands People's Choice Awards won Gold in the Strategic Communications category at the MarCom Awards for its digital marketing campaign. The MarCom Awards, established in 2004, honour excellence in marketing and communications, with about 6,500 entries annually from around the world in categories for Advertising/Marketing, Strategic Communications, Publications, and Web-based media.

Behind the success of this award-winning campaign is the dedicated Cook Islands Tourism marketing team, whose creativity and hard work brought the essence of the campaign to life. The Cook Islands were one of the few South Pacific winners in this category, alongside Vista Group (New Zealand), Storyation and ThinkPlaceX (Australia), and Shift Creative (Hawaii).

More than an accolade for excellence, the People’s Choice Awards celebrate the spirit of our community and the unique experiences that define our little paradise. "They may come for the warmth of the sun, but it’s the warmth of our people that they remember long after their visit," says Noeline Mateariki, Director of Global Sales and Marketing. "This sentiment remains a fundamental part of our marketing efforts because it highlights the invaluable role our people play in making our little paradise unique, setting us apart from other destinations."

Recognising that it takes an entire community to love and care for our little paradise, the next steps will be to evolve the People’s Choice Awards to honour local market farmers, stall vendors, small homestays, micro-businesses, pa enua and sustainable products and initiatives.

The 2024 Cook Islands People's Choice Awards won Gold in the Strategic Communications category at the MarCom Awards for its digital marketing campaign. The MarCom Awards, established in 2004, honour excellence in marketing and communications, with about 6,500 entries annually from around the world in categories for Advertising/Marketing, Strategic Communications, Publications, and Web-based media.