Innovative Minds: How Students Are Shaping the Future of Cook Islands Tourism (And Wake Up to AI Potential)!

10 students from Future Leaders Academy in Rarotonga, Cook Islands brainstormed ideas to revitalise the tourism industry there, and proposed AI solutions.

Fostering Future Leaders in Tourism

Cook Islands Tourism recently hosted a group of 10 students from the Future Leaders Academy, marking the second cohort’s visit on April 25, reports Cook Islands News. This collaboration is part of an ongoing effort to blend leadership development with innovative tourism solutions. Students explored various roles within Cook Islands Tourism, learning about its vision and mission, and participated in activities designed to enhance their understanding of the industry.

Real-World Problem-Solving

The session included an interactive problem-solving activity where students tackled challenges such as minimising the impact of seasonality on visitor numbers. Their innovative ideas, like using social media and creating off-peak events, were well-received. Additionally, the students proposed leveraging AI for marketing, suggesting tools like AI-powered chatbots and data analytics for better visitor engagement.

Future Collaborations Anticipated

Daniel Fisher, General Manager of Marketing at Cook Islands Tourism, praised the students’ fresh perspectives and innovative solutions, highlighting their potential to contribute to the industry’s future. The Future Leaders Academy’s course focused on building leadership skills among senior high school students from New Zealand, Australia, and the Cook Islands, and future collaborations are anticipated.

(Visit Cook Islands News for the full story)

*An AI tool was used to add an extra layer to the editing process for this story.