Tourism and Migration Statistics is a monthly publication of the number of travelers crossing our border, both visitors and residents.

Tourism and Migration Statistics July 2026

Key Facts

The Cook Islands’ peak tourism period commenced strongly in July 2026, with total inbound arrivals reaching 23,060. This total figure includes 21,728 visitors representing a 13.1 percent month-on-month increase from June 2026 alongside 1,332 returning residents and permit holders.

Historically, the nation experiences its highest volume of traveler traffic between May and October, aligning with the Southern Hemisphere winter.

The majority of visitor arrivals came from New Zealand with 67.9 percent, followed by Australia with 22.6 percent, USA 3.4 percent, and Europe 3.2 percent.

Total resident departures increased by 67.7 percent this July 2026 (1,684), when compared to June 2026 (1,004)

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Explanatory Notes

1. Source 

All data in this release is based on immigration arrival and departure cards as collected by Immigration Officers at the border.  These cards are completed on arrival and departure by every individual.

 2. Concepts and Definition

A “visitor” refers to any person who travels outside his/her own country of usual residence (irrespective of the purpose of visit). Cook Islanders who normally reside overseas and are visiting the Cook Islands, are classed as visitors.   This follows the concept of the usual place of residence.

The “usual place of residence” is the place where the person has resided for most of the last 12 months and will return and reside there.

The “purpose of visit” refers to a motivation of the trip, the reason in which the trip have taken place.

Excess outward and inward migration is calculated by deducting the number of departures from the number arrivals which, when a negative becomes a net outward migration and when positive is net inward migration.