On Thursday 18 April, Cook Islands Tourism (CIT) team had the pleasure of welcoming a group of 11 inspiring future leaders to our head office. These students, part of the Future Leaders - Academy, came to experience the dynamic world of tourism.

The Future Leaders Academy focuses on developing confident individuals with the skills to drive positive change in their personal lives, schools, workplaces, and communities. The programme emphasises strengthening values, fostering cultural awareness, and building connections with other like-minded leaders.

After learning about various CIT roles, with a particular focus on Destination Development and career paths, the students were presented with a real-life business problem faced by Destination Development team at head office.

The energy was high in the room as the students divided into teams, tackled the problem with enthusiasm, and brainstormed innovative solutions. Each team presented their ideas, offering fresh perspectives that truly impressed everyone. This programme is a testament to the innovative spirit of young people and a valuable source of insights for our work at Cook Islands Tourism. We were thoroughly impressed by their creativity!

We look forward to welcoming another group from the Academy later this week. We extend a heartfelt Meitaki maata to Jethro and the Future Leaders Academy team for partnering with us and choosing the Cook Islands for their leadership training programme.