Cooks tourism goes up-market

RAROTONGA is to burst into the up-market tourist business with work due to start this month on a 200-room hotel to be operated by the Sheraton chain. The NZ$47 million project will be located at Vaima’aga and will include an 18-hole golf course.

Cook Islands Prime Minister Geoffrey Henry said the country had to change with the times, and a four-star hotel was needed to provide for the more affluent traveller. “We cannot remain forever in the romantic, Cook Islands version of the dream time,” said Henry. u t .. „ , , But the project does have some oppo- . lit , nents. Local residents, however, seem to have been satisfied after initially protesting the Sheraton hotel would unduly strain the island’s power and water supply systems. But it was later disclosed the u i n » hotel will have its own power generator, and will be looking to develop its own

water supply.

Tourism industry businessman Hugh Henry said the development was taking

the Cook Islands in the wrong direction it would not be possible to find enough local staff to man a 200-room hotel, he said. He believes accommoda tion should be built by Cook Island in terests rather than overseas investors. He said a major hotel would spell the end of the country’s magic, and the Cooks could go the way of Hawaii and Tahiti.

Under the agreement signed recently in Rarotonga, the Italian bank ICLE will supply the finance, while SICEI. will be responsible for construction work. (The Italian company was planning to fly labourers into the Cooks this month to begin construction work on the resort).

The Australian company Essington Ltd will oversee the development, with Sher aton taking over management on com

pletion.

The site is the second choice the first was subject to a public outcry and is the only one on the island which has space for the golf course. □