Academic literature on the topic 'Tourism Cook Islands'

International visitor surveys (IVS) are traditionally designed to provide destinations with marketing data and intelligence. The New Zealand Tourism Research Institute has been developing new approaches to IVS implementation and data collection in the Pacific Islands that can provide a much richer source of information [1]. The research outlined here is the first to utilise an IVS to explore the positioning of cuisine in the culinary identity of a destination – specifically, the cuisine of the Cook Islands. The Cook Islands is known primarily for its sun, sea and sand features, rather than its culinary attributes. Drawing on data mining of the Cook Islands IVS (2012–2016) and a web audit of destination websites and menus, this paper considers the positioning of food and food-related activities within the Pacific nation’s tourism experience. National tourism organisations are increasingly seeking competitive advantage by utilising their local cuisines as tourist attractions. Research suggests that distinctive local cuisines can act as both a tourism attraction, and as a means of shaping the identity of a destination [2, 3]. In addition to providing an important source of marketable images, local cuisine can also provide a unique experience for tourists. This reinforces the competitiveness and sustainability of the destination [2]. The cuisine of the Cook Islands has come up repeatedly in recommendations for how the country can grow its tourism revenue. Recommendations have been made to improve the food product on offer, develop a distinctive Cook Islands cuisine based on fresh, local produce, and to promote a Cook Islands cuisine experience [4, 5], and to use these to market the Cook Islands as a destination for local food tourism experiences [4]. Despite these recommendations, Cook Island cuisine features less prominently than stereotypical sun, sea, and sand marketing images, and little is known about tourists’ perceptions of and satisfaction with food and food-related activities [6]. Our research addresses this gap by mining IVS data to gain a deeper understanding of tourists’ experiences and perceptions of food in the Cook Islands and assessing whether local food can be positioned as means of creating a unique destination identity. Two methods were used to develop a picture of where food sits in the Cook Islands tourist experience: one focussed on tourist feedback; and the other focused on how food is portrayed in relevant online media. Analysis of all food-related data collected as part of the national IVS between 1 April 2012 and 30 June 2016 was conducted (N = 10,950). A web audit also focused on how food is positioned as part of the Cook Islands tourism product. After identifying the quantitative food-related questions in the IVS, satisfaction with these activities was analysed. Qualitative comments related to food experiences were also examined. The results suggest that participation in food-related activities is generally a positive feature of the visitor experience. The web-audit revealed, however, that food is not a salient feature in the majority of Cook Islands-related websites, and when food did feature, it tended to be oriented towards international cuisine with a ‘touch of the Pacific’ rather than specifically Cook Islands cuisine. This reinforced findings from the IVS data mining that Cook Islands food is presented as a generic tropical ‘seafood and fruit’ cuisine that, largely, lacks the defining and differentiating features of authentic Cook Island cuisine. High participation rates in food-related activities and overall positive evaluations by visitors emerged from the IVS data, yet a dearth of images and information on the country’s food suggests that the Cook Islands is not exploiting its cuisine and food experiences to their full potential. As a direct result of this secondary analysis of IVS data, which highlighted the importance of and potential for food-related activities, the Cook Islands Government is now actively addressing this gap by developing a range of food-related resources and information that can better link tourism to local cuisine. In addition to developing a greater presence of local food in online resources, the Cook Islands Tourism Corporation has also taken on board the messages from the IVS to drive the development of Takurua [7] – an initiative to develop and document local, traditional cuisine and share it with the world. This approach is part of a broader ongoing effort to differentiate the Cook Islands from other South Pacific destinations through its unique cultural attributes. Data mining and secondary analysis of IVS data has not been restricted to the identification of food-related opportunities. Secondary analysis of IVS data in the Pacific has also been used to investigate the impact of other niche markets such as events [8] and to gauge the impact of environmental incidents, for example Cyclone Pam in Vanuatu [9] and algal bloom in the Cook Islands [10], thus reinforcing that IVS data are a rich source of information and are indeed more than just numbers. Corresponding author Tracy Berno can be contacted at tracy.berno@aut.ac.nz References (1) New Zealand Tourism Research Institute (NZTRI). Cook Islands Resources and Outputs; NZTRI: Auckland. http://www.nztri.org.nz/cook-islands-resources (accessed Jun 10, 2019). (2) Lin, Y.; Pearson, T.; Cai, L. Food as a Form of Destination Identity: A Tourism Destination Brand Perspective. Tourism and Hospitality Research 2011, 11, 30–48. https://doi.org/10.1057/thr.2010.22 (3) Okumus, F.; Kock, G.; Scantlebury, M. M.; Okumus, B. Using Local Cuisines when Promoting Small Caribbean Island Destinations. Journal of Travel & Tourism Marketing 2013, 30 (4), 410–429. (4) Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO). Linking Farmers to Markets: Realizing Opportunities for Locally Produced Food on Domestic and Tourist Markets in Cook Islands. FAO Sub-regional Office of the Pacific Islands: Apia, Samoa, 2014. (5) United Nations. “Navigating Stormy Seas through Changing winds”: Developing an Economy whilst Preserving a National Identity and the Modern Challenges of a Small Island Developing State. The Cook Islands National Report for the 2014 Small Islands Developing States (SIDS) Conference and post 2015 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/content/documents/1074217Cook%20Is%20_%20Final%20NATIONAL%20SIDS%20Report.pdf (accessed Jun 10, 2019). (6) Boyera, S. Tourism-led Agribusiness in the South Pacific Countries; Technical Centre for Agriculture and Rural Cooperation (CTA): Brussels, 2016. (7) Cook Islands Tourism Corporation (CITC). Takurua: Food and Feasts of the Cook Islands; CITC: Avarua, Cook Islands, 2018. (8) Thorburn, E.; Milne, S.; Histen, S.; Sun, M.; Jonkers, I. Do Events Attract Higher Yield, Culturally Immersive Visitors to the Cook Islands? In CAUTHE 2016: The Changing Landscape of Tourism and Hospitality: The Impact of Emerging Markets and Emerging Destinations; Scerri, M., Ker Hui, L., Eds.; Blue Mountains International Hotel Management School: Sydney, 2016; pp 1065–1073. (9) Sun, M.; Milne, S. The Impact of Cyclones on Tourist Demand: Pam and Vanuatu. In CAUTHE 2017: Time for Big Ideas? Re-thinking the Field for Tomorrow; Lee, C., Filep, S., Albrecht, J. N., Coetzee, W. JL, Eds.; Department of Tourism, University of Otago: Dunedin, 2017; pp 731–734. (10) Thorburn, E.; Krause, C.; Milne, S. The Impacts of Algal Blooms on Visitor Experience: Muri Lagoon, Cook Islands. In CAUTHE 2017: Time for Big Ideas? Re-thinking the Field For Tomorrow; Lee, C., Filep, S., Albrecht, J. N., Coetzee, W. JL, Eds., Department of Tourism, University of Otago: Dunedin, 2017; pp 582–587.

The Cook Islands is the largest of several Pacific island microstates experiencing absolute population decline, raising questions over national viability. Since its peak of 21,300 in 1971 the population has almost halved, mainly through depopulation of the twelve outer islands. The population of the main island, Rarotonga, has remained constant. Decline has been particularly rapid following economic problems and restructuring in the mid-1990s, while return migration has been slight. Skilled migrants, especially health workers, have been most prone to migration, for educational, economic and social reasons, facilitated by unimpeded entry into Australia and New Zealand. Workers increasingly join the health system with the intention of subsequent migration. Both the education and health system are short of skilled workers, and service delivery is worsening. Economic growth through tourism may slow migration, but will not prevent it, and further overall population decline seems probable.

Background Arthropod-borne diseases pose a significant and increasing risk to global health. Given its rapid dissemination, causing large-scale outbreaks with severe human infections and economic loss, the Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is one of the most important arboviruses worldwide. Despite its significance, the real global impact of CHIKV remains underestimated as outbreak data are often incomplete and based solely on syndromic surveillance. During 2011–2016, the South Pacific Region was severely affected by several CHIKV-epidemics, yet the area is still underrepresented in arboviral research. Methods 465 outpatient serum samples collected between 08/2016 and 04/2017 on three islands of the island states Vanuatu (Espiritu Santo) and the Cook Islands (Rarotonga, Aitutaki) were tested for anti-CHIKV specific antibodies using Enzyme-linked immunosorbent Assays. Results A total of 30% (Cook Islands) and 8% (Vanuatu) of specimens were found positive for anti-CHIKV specific antibodies with major variations in national and intranational immunity levels. Seroprevalence throughout all age groups was relatively constant. Four potential outbreak-protective factors were identified by comparing the different study settings: presence of Ae. albopictus (in absence of ECSA E1-A226V-mutation CHIKV), as well as low levels of human population densities, residents’ travel activity and tourism. Conclusion This is the first seroprevalence study focussing on an arboviral disease in the Cook Islands and Vanuatu. It highlights the impact of the 2014/2015 CHIKV epidemic on the Cook Islands population and shows that a notable part of the Vanuatu test population was exposed to CHIKV although no outbreaks were reported. Our findings supplement the knowledge concerning CHIKV epidemics in the South Pacific Region and contribute to a better understanding of virus dissemination, including outbreak modifying factors. This study may support preventive and rapid response measures in affected areas, travel-related risk assessment and infection identification in returning travellers. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov Aachen: 051/16_09/05/2016 Cook Islands Ref.: #16-16 Vanuatu Ref.: MOH/DG 10/1/1-GKT/lr.

Sexual harassment is prevalent in the hospitality industry with studies indicating that hospitality employees experience sexual harassment significantly more than employees in other industries. Studies also reveal that customers are generally the main perpetrators [1]. Like the Western world, tourism in the South Pacific has seen significant growth and is now the largest and fastest growing sector in the region [2]. However, despite tourism being the key economic driver for many Pacific Island countries, the prevalence of sexual harassment in this location is unknown. This study was conducted in the Cook Islands and investigated the sexual harassment experiences of hospitality employees, by customers. A qualitative approach was adopted involving in-depth interviews with 32 participants from across the industry. The study revealed a significant lack of awareness of sexual harassment and, given the lack of research attention in this region, it is anticipated that this problem is prevalent across the Pacific. Consistent with previous studies [3], alcohol was considered to have the greatest influence on customer behaviour. Supporting Hayner’s [4] ‘moral holiday’ perspective, employees were of the view that visitors behaved inappropriately simply because they were away from home and had a sense of anonymity. A key outcome of the study were the new themes that emerged on ‘cause’, which were unique to the study and its location. The commodification of Cook Islands culture, in particular, the sexualisation of traditional dance and costumes, was perceived to reduce the sexual inhibitions of visitors. A lack of awareness around cultural norms, the hospitable nature of Cook Islanders and titillating marketing messages were also perceived to inadvertently influence visitor behaviour. The ramifications of sexual harassment are serious and cannot be ignored by hospitality employers and managers. The study found that employees experienced a decline in their work performance, productivity, and overall job satisfaction. These outcomes are detrimental not only to individuals, but also to organisations, as they can increase costs and impact the bottom line [5]. Of particular concern, the study found that employees were leaving the industry because of sexual harassment. In light of the current labour market pressures in the Cook Islands tourism industry [6], the implications of this are grave. The research identifies a vital need for education and training with a focus on sexual harassment awareness, cultural awareness, body language and socials skills. The implementation of workplace policies and procedures on sexual harassment is also recommended. Implementing practical strategies at an operational level may also be beneficial for managers and owners. Bystander intervention is an effective approach and involves removing the harassed employee and replacing them with a colleague, before the situation escalates. Implementing host responsibility programmes to educate employees on the responsible sale and supply of alcohol is also recommended. Paramount to addressing the issue of sexual harassment, however, is a clear and visible commitment from management. Employers have an ethical responsibility to create a safe working environment for their employees. Our people are our greatest tourism asset. We need to protect them to ensure a sustainable tourism industry, both in the Pacific and elsewhere. Corresponding author Lisa Sadaraka can be contacted at lisa.sadaraka@aut.ac.nz References (1) Gettman, H. J.; Gelfand, M. J. When the Customer Shouldn’t be King: Antecedents and Consequences of Sexual Harassment by Clients and Customers. Journal of Applied Psychology 2007, 92(3), 757–770. https://doi.org/10.1037/0021-9010.92.3.757 (2) The World Bank. Tourism, 2016. http://pubdocs.worldbank.org/en/95491462763645997/WB-PP-Tourism.pdf (accessed Jun 7, 2018). (3) Yagil, D. When the Customer is Wrong: A Review of Research on Aggression and Sexual Harassment in Service Encounters. Aggression and Violent Behavior 2008, 13(2), 141–152. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.avb.2008.03.002 (4) Hayner, N. S. Hotel Life and Personality. American Journal of Sociology 1928, 33(5), 784–795. (5) Ineson, E. M.; Yap, M. H. T.; Whiting, G. Sexual Discrimination and Harassment in the Hospitality Industry. International Journal of Hospitality Management 2013, 35, 1–9. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhm.2013.04.012 (6) Sugden, C.; Bosworth, M.; Chung, M.; Tuara, A. Cook Islands 2008 Social and Economic Report: Equity in Development, 2008. https://www.adb.org/sites/default/files/publication/29732/cook-islands-economic-report-2008.pdf (accessed Jun 7, 2018).

Tourism is a salient contemporary context for tangled cross-cultural experiences and representations. Holidaying tourists, and those people who deal with tourists in 'host' countries, focus on making the present holiday moment a significant event. But while emphasis appears to be on the present time this relies on recourse to notions of past. For most tourists to the Cook Islands their own societies' pasts are imagined (even fictionalised), romanticised, and reflected in their experiences on holiday of a simpler, more relaxed pace of life. Further connections are made by contemporary tourists to other pasts - those earlier perspectives of other Western travellers, such as explorers and travel writers, who have gazed at and experienced the islands in former times. Tourists seek authenticity both in themselves and in the people and places they visit and for Cook Islanders engaged in the tourism industry there is also a concern with authenticity. Expressions of national and cultural identities are performed to tourists and to themselves. Tourists are encouraged to participate in life in the Cooks while there, emphasising Cook Islanders' capacity for generosity and inclusivity - a statement of cultural authenticity. This is a story of tourists' ('guests') and Cook Islanders' ('hosts') experiences and representations of peoples and places through the tourism industry. It questions the relationship of 'tourism' and culture' in tourism encounters. Rather than assuming that the hosts' culture is necessarily negatively impacted by tourism, it examines the lived experiences of Cook Islanders who work with tourism and how they talk about and perform their own expressions of identity. The ethnography further questions notions of dwelling and movement, considering tourists and Cook Islanders in place and on the move. Being on the move and being in place are examined through narrative points of reflection made by the ethnographer. Broader reflections on how anthropologists practise and how we conceive of our practice ripple out from this ethnographic inquiry.

AbstractIn Spain, 55% of land area is covered by forests and other woodlands. Broadleaves occupy a predominant position (56%), followed by conifers (37%) and mixed stands (7%). Forest are distributed among the Atlantic (north-western Iberian rim), Mediterranean (rest of the peninsula including the Balearic Islands) and Macaronesian (Canary Islands) climate zones. Spanish woodlands provide a multiplicity of provisioning ecosystem services, such as, wood, cork, pine nuts, mushrooms and truffles. In terms of habitat services, biodiversity is highly relevant. Cultural services are mainly recreational and tourism, the latter being a crucial economic sector in Spain (including rural and ecotourism). Regulatory services, such as erosion control, water availability, flood and wildfire risk reduction, are of such great importance that related forest zoning and consequent legislation were established already in the eighteenth century. Climate change in Southern Europe is forecast to involve an increase in temperature, reduction in precipitation and increase in aridity. As a result, the risks for natural disturbances are expected to increase. Of these, forest fires usually have the greatest impact on ecosystems in Spain. In 2010–2019, the average annual forest surface area affected by fire was 95,065 ha. The combination of extreme climatic conditions (drought, wind) and the large proportion of unmanaged forests presents a big challenge for the future. Erosion is another relevant risk. In the case of fire, mitigation strategies should combine modification of the land use at the landscape level, in order to generate mosaics that will create barriers to the spread of large fires, along with stand-level prevention measures to either slow the spread of surface fires or, more importantly, impede the possibility of fire crowning or disrupt its spread. Similarly, forest management can play a major role in mitigating the impact of drought on a forest. According to the land use, land-use change and forestry (LULUCF) accounting, Spanish forests absorbed 11% of the total greenhouse gas emissions in 2019. Investments in climate-smart forestry provide opportunities for using all the different parts of the Spanish forest-based sector for climate mitigation––forest sinks, the substitution of wood raw materials and products for fossil materials, and the storage of carbon in wood products. Moreover, this approach simultaneously helps to advance the adaptation of the forest to changing climate and to build forest resilience.

Having looked at the external and internal challenges facing the move towards more sustainable tourism, and the impacts of tourism, you should now be wondering how sustainability in tourism can be turned into more than an ideal. Perhaps one of the most obvious way to achieve this is simply to regulate the sector. After all regulation worked for the ozone layer: scientists raised the alarm in the 1970s that a hole was appearing in the atmosphere’s ozone layer, caused by Ozone Depleting Substances or ODS (most notably CFCs) and resulting in adverse effects on human health and the environment. By 1987 the Montreal Protocol was established to phase out the use of ODS, and by June 2015, all countries in the United Nations, the Cook Islands, Holy See, Niue and the supranational European Union had ratified the original Protocol. The result was a 98% drop in ODS since ratification, and the hole is expected to have fully repaired itself by 2050. A significant achievement in terms of international cooperation, based on scientific advice.

Thomas Cook started it all with his meticulously organized archaeological tours up the Nile. He harnessed the revolutionary technologies of Victorian travel to a growing desire on the part of the middle class to explore the world and its ancient history. Cook was the first to realize the potential of the railroad for group tours. A devout Baptist and an advocate for temperance, he began his business by organizing rail excursions to temperance meetings in nearby towns in central England. The enterprise was so successful that he took advantage of steamships and continental railroads to organize what we now call package tours to France and Germany. From that, it was not much more difficult to organize tours to Egypt and the Holy Land, now readily accessible thanks to the new technology for Victorian travel: the railroad, the steamship, and the telegraph. Then, in the twentieth century, came ocean liners, massive cruise ships, and the Boeing 707, followed by the jumbo jet, all of which together made archaeological travel part of popular culture. We live in a completely accessible world of intricate airline schedules and instant communication, where you can visit the great moiae of Easter Island as easily as you can take a journey to Stonehenge or the Parthenon, the difference being a longer flight and the need for the correct visas and a foreign rental car at the other end. And if you become sick or injured, you can be evacuated from most places within hours: Peter Fleming or Ella Maillart would have been in real trouble had they become sick or injured in the vast expanses of central Asia. We forget that to travel east of the Holy Land was considered highly adventurous until after World War II, and that central Asia was virtually inaccessible to outsiders until the late twentieth century. Much of the adventure of archaeological travel has vanished since the 1960s in a tidal wave of mass tourism and its attendant businesses. Leisure travel is now the world’s largest industry, and the mainstay of many national economies, including that of Egypt, where at last count six mil-lion tourists visit each year. According to Statistics Canada, global cultural tourism will grow at a rate of about 15 percent annually through the year 2010.