RESILIENT is how Chris Crocker of the Pacific Tourism Organisation (SPTO) described the industry, citing data that shows tourism earnings surging to $USD3.9 billion in 2025—a 36.7per cent increase from pre-pandemic levels—even as total arrivals have yet to fully bounce back.
Speaking at the 44th Association of South Pacific Airlines AGM & 81st General Session in Rarotonga, Cocker said the Cook Islands—where tourism contributes more than 70 per cent of GDP—remains a founding member close to his heart, almost as important to him as his ancestral ties to Manahiki.
“Tourism is the major contributor to our Pacific GDP, employment, our MSME growth, and foreign exchange earnings,” Cocker said. “In many of our Pacific Island economies, tourism contributes as much as or more than agriculture and fisheries.”
Australia remains the region’s top source market at 36 per cent, followed by New Zealand (25 per cent) and the US (15 per cent). However, European arrivals have halved from 10 per cent in 2019 to just five per cent in 2025. Cruise arrivals have also declined sharply, dropping 24 per cent from 748,000 to 571,000.
The Middle East crisis hasn’t helped things, adding pressure, with rising travel costs, airline capacity adjustments, and reduced travel confidence. A survey conducted in April showed “the outlook suggests a period of continuing monitoring and cautious optimism,” Cocker said.
Regionally, Fiji leads in terms of tourism revenue contribution at 71 per cent, followed by Samoa (17 per cent) and Papua New Guinea (six per cent).
Cocker identified limited and expensive air access as the top challenge. “We are working as silos, and we should work more strongly together,” he said, calling for closer cooperation and integration between the tourism and aviation sectors.
Looking ahead, SPTO has developed a five-year strategy focused on connecting tourism and aviation, supported by the Australian–Pacific Partnership. “COVID was a disaster for our Pacific tourism industry, but it gave us time to sit back, rethink, and rebuild,” Cocker said.
He issued a call to action for development partners: “Invest in order to empower expertise, connectivity, and measurable impact by 2030.”
