1. Would you share the vision behind Pacific Resort Hotel Group and how it has built a leading portfolio of boutique and luxury resorts in the Cook Islands?
Our vision has always been very simple, and it remains so to this day: simplicity with purpose.
That philosophy guides not only how we operate our properties, but also how we design them functionally for our guests. We are a small collection of four properties, three on the island of Rarotonga and one in Aitutaki, and each serves a distinct guest demographic.
Pacific Resort Rarotonga caters largely to the family market. Pacific Resort Aitutaki and Little Polynesian are more focused on adults-only and high-end luxury travelers. Te Manava Luxury Villas offers a “home away from home” concept, with private swimming pools and full-service kitchens, designed for guests seeking privacy rather than the more social resort atmosphere.
Our locations have always been paramount. Every property is beachfront, because that is ultimately why guests come to the Cook Islands.
Equally important is our commitment to preserving the natural environment. I have been here for 18 years, and there has been no physical expansion of this property. That is a conscious decision. We want to protect our gardens, our streams, our tranquility, and the surrounding village community. We are not interested in increasing room numbers if it compromises the guest experience or the local infrastructure.
Our goal is to work with what we have and continually enhance the experience through what we can genuinely offer our guests.
2. How do your properties deliver high-end yet authentic guest experiences by combining Polynesian culture, personalized service, and premium hospitality?
This is truly at the forefront of my management style.
Last year we won the Kiorana Spirit Awards, a national tourism award, and I believe that recognition came from our deeply authentic approach to hospitality.
No matter how diverse our team may be, we must always remember that we are here in the Cook Islands, operating in the Cook Islands, and serving guests in the Cook Islands. As a proud Cook Islander myself, it is incredibly meaningful to ensure that our culture is not simply presented, but genuinely lived.
One of the things that makes us unique is that every department contributes to the guest experience. It is not limited to reception or restaurant teams.
Our chefs spend time with guests each week. Our engineering team leads activities. Housekeeping staff participate as well. Every department is involved.
This creates something very organic and authentic. Guests may sit down with a chef and prepare a meal, learn weaving techniques, discover the cultural significance of coconuts, or join a flower crown-making session.
One of our most beloved team members is a mama who barely speaks English, yet she hosts a weekly flower workshop. Through hand gestures and smiles, she has become one of our most popular hosts.
That is the magic of authentic hospitality.
I never dictate exactly what these experiences should be. I simply ask the team to bring their own creativity. They decide what to share, when to do it, and how to engage with guests. That ownership keeps them motivated because they feel valued for their own talents and personalities.
3. In an increasingly competitive global market, how do you position the Cook Islands within the luxury travel segment and differentiate it from other Pacific destinations?
It is very important for us not to look over our shoulder at what others are doing.
We are not in competition with Tahiti or Fiji. Our focus is on practicing the best business standards and attracting the right clientele.
For a small nation like ours, it is not about quantity, it is about quality.
We are not seeking mass tourism. We are looking for discerning travelers who value authenticity, privacy, and meaningful experiences.
For us, positioning means ensuring each guest clearly understands which property best suits their needs, whether they are families, couples, romantic travelers, or luxury seekers.
We are not interested in competing on price or offering “cheap deals.” Our focus is meaningful luxury.
4. How important is the American market, especially travelers from the U.S. West Coast, for your group?
It is a very important market, particularly as future air connectivity improves.
Our core markets remain New Zealand and Australia, and they will continue to be our primary focus. However, we are very excited about the growing U.S. market, especially travelers from the West Coast.
The data shows we are increasingly attracting mature, high-quality travelers who are genuinely interested in authentic cultural experiences.
We are particularly seeing strong interest from adventure travelers and romantic travelers coming from the United States.
We are very much focused on the discerning traveler.
5. Sustainability is critical in island environments. What initiatives has Pacific Resort Hotel Group implemented to protect lagoons, reefs, and local ecosystems?
Sustainability is absolutely at the core of everything we do.
We have won local environmental awards multiple times, and that reflects years of investment and discipline.
One major example is our sewage treatment system, which was installed back in the 1990s, long before environmental issues became a major public concern here.
Our founder had the foresight to understand that this would one day be essential.
Today, that system allows us to convert liquid waste into nutrient water for our gardens.
We also work very carefully to prevent nutrient runoff into the lagoon. Garden cuttings are removed and taken to a local village association, which converts them into compost and then sells it back to hotels and growers across the island.
It is a full-circle recycling initiative.
We use only bio-friendly pesticides and herbicides, and we pay premium prices to local growers who avoid chemical use.
Sustainability is not the responsibility of one department, every single department is accountable.
6. How do you invest in talent development and career opportunities for Cook Islanders?
I am incredibly proud to say that we are a learning organization.
I personally began my own hospitality journey through a school work-experience program at Pacific Resort when I was 14 years old.
That experience inspired my entire career.
Today, we work closely with local schools through internship and mentorship programs.
We currently run structured internships with Tereora High School, where students rotate through all departments over six months before continuing their tourism studies in New Zealand.
We also recently introduced programs for younger secondary school students, starting from around age 13.
The purpose is not simply to inspire them to work in hospitality, but to help them understand the broader economic ecosystem of tourism, from farmers to suppliers, accountants, and entrepreneurs.
Tourism is much bigger than hotel jobs alone.
7. What are the main operational challenges of managing high-end resorts in a remote island setting?
The biggest challenge is undoubtedly remoteness.
When machinery or essential equipment breaks down, sourcing replacement parts can take significant time.
That is why preventative maintenance is absolutely crucial for us.
We invest heavily in long-term capital planning, including five-year expenditure reviews to anticipate upgrades and prevent breakdowns.
Staff retention is equally critical.
For me, the answer is simple: invest in people and create a culture where they genuinely want to stay.
Some of our senior staff have been with us for 10, 20, even over 30 years.
When people feel they can grow from entry-level roles into leadership positions, they stay.
8. What are your expansion plans for the group?
At this stage, expansion is not on the horizon.
Our focus is internal excellence.
Over the years, we have actually streamlined operations by stepping back from activities that are now better served by local businesses.
For example, we previously ran weddings, lagoon cruises, and cultural evenings ourselves.
But as local specialists emerged, we made a conscious decision not to compete with them.
Instead, we direct our guests to those businesses.
This strengthens the local economy and allows us to focus on our core business: delivering exceptional accommodation and service.
9. From your broader perspective as Director at the Cook Islands Tourism Corporation, what are the main opportunities and challenges for the sector nationally?
The message is the same: keep things simple and be best in class.
That means sustainability, customer service excellence, education, and realistic growth.
We must ensure every business, from major resorts to small local shops, operates to the highest standard.
Tourism must remain authentic, sustainable, and community-driven.
10. What message would you like to share with Los Angeles Times readers about the Cook Islands?
The Cook Islands offers something increasingly rare in today’s travel world: authenticity.
This is not just an island destination, it is an island resort experience from the moment you arrive.
Within minutes, you are on a white-sand beach, at a café, in the lagoon, immersed in the local culture.
Everything is accessible, intimate, and effortless.
If you are looking for natural beauty, simplicity, genuine culture, and world-class hospitality, this is exactly where you should come.
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