"This year, we received over 900 nominations, surpassing last year's total of 625,” says Karla Eggelton, CEO of Cook Islands Tourism. “At a time when we are building back our economic base, the number of nominations really speaks to how far reaching tourism is across businesses and our community. Every day our people showcase the best of what the Cook Islands has to offer, bringing professionalism, dynamism, Kia orana values, and unforgettable experiences that create lasting memories for our visitors. In fact 94% of our visitors tell us they are satisfied, 98% will recommend the Cook Islands and 94% said they will return. These are some vital performance metrics that determine our country's tourism success and viability”. Eggelton shares that this next step of announcing the top nominated candidates will activate the Cook Islands Tourism Corporations online voting portal and both visitors and community get to tell everyone who they are and why they have been nominated as the people's choice for 2024.

Noeline Mateariki, Director of Sales and Marketing, notes that nominees have come from far and wide. “The PCA programme has global reach. While 22% of nominations have come directly from our community, New Zealand contributed 50% of total nominations, followed by Australia with 20%, United States 3%, and a further 5% across the United Kingdom and Europe including Italy, Germany, Switzerland and Sweden. The nominees have been praised for their professionalism, dedication, and the unique touches they bring to their work. Words such as "amazing," "best," and "memorable" were commonly used, highlighting how these individuals and businesses make a lasting positive impact on our visitors. This is what makes them stand out and deserving finalists for the 2024 Cook Islands People's Choice Awards”.

Now in the second year of PCA, Mateariki points out the mix of returning and new finalists this year, saying, "We are seeing familiar faces among the finalists, which shows consistency in delivering exceptional service. At the same time, it's encouraging to see new names on the list." New to this years list is the expanding reach of the awards, with more finalists now representing Pa Enua, including Aitutaki, Atiu, and Manihiki.

After a thorough vetting and review process, the top finalists across the Business and Individual categories have been selected based on the total number of nominations they received and the impact of their contributions to tourism. Congratulations to all the finalists!

2024 Finalists

Business Finalists

• Aitutaki Lagoon Private Island Resort Adults Only
• Ariki Adventures
• Ariimoana Walkabouts
• Atiu Villas
• Cafe Jireh
• Captain Tama's Lagoon Cruizes
• Charlie's
• Circle Cook Islands
• Club Raro
• COCOCKTAIL
• Edgewater Resort and Spa
• Go Local Cook Islands
• Koka Lagoon Cruise
• Kutekute Tours and Transfers Aitutaki
• Manuia Beach Resort
• Maunga Tours
• Nior Photography & Film
• Ocean Toa Cook Islands
• OTB
• Progressive Dinner Cook Islands Tours
• Raro Fishing Charters
• Raro Safari Tours
• Rarotonga Turtle Tours Ltd
• Sea Pace Rarotonga
• Taio Shipping
• Tumutoa Tours
• Vili’s Burger Joint
• Weddings with Florence Tia

Individual Finalists

• Aisake Katonivere
• Alfred and Taylor Story
• Ali Maao
• Ani Thompson
• Bruce Goldsworthy
• Butch Leone
• Danny Mataroa
• Debra and Craig Graham
• Fiona Mene
• Florence Syme-Buchanan
• Kaina Karaponga
• Kura Happ
• Malcolm Sword
• Maria Henry
• Mary Hosking
• Mii Upu
• Michael Tavioni
• Ngametua Mamanu
• Nane Purea
• Papatua Papatua (MBE)
• Paul Lynch
• Peter Pokipoki
• Ritia Numanga
• Sabine Janneck
• Sione Vili
• Teokotai Foster-Tupuna (Baby Turtle)
• Vero Naivalu
• Viani Tixier
• Viriama Marsters

Voting Process and Next Steps

The competition now shifts to the public voting stage to determine the winners in both the Business and Individual categories. Voting opens online at noon on 19 August 2024 and will remain open for four weeks, closing on 16 September 2024.

To vote, visit the Cook Islands Tourism official Facebook page and cast your vote by ‘reacting’ to the image of your preferred finalist in each category. Each 'Reaction' counts as a vote. You can vote for multiple finalists, but only one vote per finalist is allowed per Facebook account. Please note that likes on shared posts will not be counted.

Awards and Recognition

Winners will be announced on World Tourism Day, 27 September 2024. Winners in the Business category will receive a Promotion & Marketing package valued at approximately NZ$12,000, supported by Cook Islands Tourism. The Individual category winner will be awarded a Travel & Marketing prize package valued at approximately NZ$7,000 and honoured with the title of a Kia Orana Champion.

Voting is now open!

Cook Islands Tourism invites everyone, residents, and visitors to participate in this exciting phase of the PCA journey. Your vote helps to promote their contributions to our tourism industry. To cast your vote, visit https://www.facebook.com/theCookIslands

For more information, visit www.cookislands.travel/PCA.