Rarotonga saw 28 cruise ship visits last year — some carrying over 2,000 passengers.
The government’s economic update stated that cruise ship visits are increasing and the economic impact is “considerable.”
The report admits, however, that evidence to support how much income is generated is “not available.”
Without knowing how much the country is making from this, government seems prepared to go ahead with plans for a berth for more ships to visit.
The report stated that the Cook Islands Tourism Corp. has indicated 13 ships were unable to stop over last year because of heavy swells.
The solution to this is apparently a proposal to build a new berth, preferably on the western side of Rarotonga, for times when ships are unable to stop over in Avarua.
Ports authority chairman Sam Crocombe said plans are underway for a cruise ship port on Rarotonga. The authority is already looking at basic plans for this but the government has not said how such a proposal will be funded.
