September 5, 2024, the 'Aitutaki Cultural Tour Guide Workshop Booklet' was officially launched. The intimate event at Aitutaki's Tamanu Beach Resort was hosted by Cook Islands Tourism's Aitutaki team, with significant assistance from two Head Office staff members: Jeremy Goodwin, Regenerative Tourism Manager, and Kylie Goulding, Visitor Experience Coordinator. The publication, initiated by the corporation in 2021, was blessed that evening and warmly received by Aitutaki community members who contributed to its creation. Formal sentiments were extended by Aitutaki's Tourism Coordinator, Te'Aumata Rairi, for those contributors who could not attend. Copies were also gifted to all four schools on the island. Mataio Karore, the principal of Tekaaroa Primary School, praised it as a "necessary resource for increasing cultural appreciation in our youth," given the limited Aitutaki-produced literature available today.

The occasion featured gracious remarks from Aitutaki's Arongamana, Manarangi Ariki, as well as Amiria Davey and Tupuariki Henry, two of the booklet's credited Taunga Korero. Aitutaki is the first of our islands to have such a distinguished publication produced through Cook Islands Tourism. The booklet documents culturally sensitive and historically significant stories collected in full accordance with local customs during the booklet's inception in November 2021. At that time, CIT staff orchestrated the 'Aitutaki Cultural Tour Guide Workshop,' which was delivered by the island's living orators. Over the course of a week, these local orators guided attendees to unique landmarks on the island and narrated various accounts in the traditional manner of their ancestors. A significant portion of the workshop's attendees were members of the Aitutaki Tourism industry, particularly Island Tour Operators, as understanding the significance of these sites would enhance the cultural experiences offered to visitors.

This workshop was a profound acknowledgment of our Indigenous storytelling and knowledge preservation traditions, and the booklet serves as an additional resource to uphold Aitutaki Peu Maori, in both English and Maori translations. Although the initial workshop had limited attendance in 2021 due to COVID-19, the launch night was a cause for celebration as these accounts are now preserved in print. The booklet effectively represents an authentic Aitutaki Island Tour. Cook Islands Tourism staff, both current and former, are proud to have contributed to connecting Araura Enua with its rich past whilst perpetuating its identity for the future, and are eager to continue this essential work in collaboration with more of our islands.