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CoOK ISLANDS SuN
ISLAND LIFE
Cook Islands’ hard working commercial traveller THE TURAMA PACIFIC TRAVEL GROUP IS ONE OF THE MOST SUCCESSFUL INBOUND TOURISM OPERATORS IN THE SOUTH PACIFIC. WE’RE CHATTING HERE WITH ROBERT SKEWS, THE COMPANY’S MANAGING DIRECTOR.
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urama means ‘light and vision.’ The group consists of DMCK - Destination Management Cook Islands; Island Hopper Vacations; Tipani Tours; Raro Tours; and Weddings Cook Islands.
they became an integral part of the Rarotonga community, especially Robert’s beloved wife ‘Mama Mousie’. Sadly, in May 2018, Mousie died after a battle with cancer: “One of the many enduring things I learned from Mousie was the value of family!" Robert is the front man for the Turama Pacific Travel Group, travelling the world to promote Turama’s services, and the Cook Islands. Robert appeared destined to live in, and work on behalf of, the Cook Islands.
It all started in 1990 through a partnership with Air Rarotonga and some Papa’a (a Maori term for people of European descent), including Robert Skews and Brian Baudinet. Whilst the business developed, management and partnerships came Robert Skews at Turama House and went, including the Airlines in Samoa for two departure of Air Rarotonga and half years as reservations as a shareholder in the early and sales manager. That 2000s. Today Robert Skews secondment had enduring and Brian Baudinet are dual consequences for his personal shareholders. and professional life.
The great thing is we don’t need to manufacture tourism in the Cook Islands! We caught up with Turama’s managing director, Robert Skews, (aka Poppa Hopper, or simply Papa to his staff) who in 2013 was presented with the prestigious Cook Islands ‘Lifetime Achievement in Tourism Award’. Robert’s journey to Turama in Rarotonga really began at Air New Zealand in Auckland as a management cadet. During thirteen years with the airline he once visited Rarotonga on a relieving position, before being seconded to Polynesian
“Air New Zealand provided a general manager, traffic manager and sales manager to support Polynesian Airlines until 1978,” said Robert.
“I was with Air New Zealand until 1982. I went to Papua New Guinea with Air Nuigini from 19821986, ending up as sales and marketing manager. I returned to NZ to work with Ansett 198688 as airport manager in Auckland.” Robert then ran the Hawaiian Airlines operation in NZ: “Air Rarotonga chartered Hawaiian to fly to Rarotonga, so I then set up and managed Air Rarotonga in NZ”.
Four generations of family, 2004
But Robert actually craved to work for himself. “Smithy (Air Rarotonga’s founder, Ewan Smith) needed someone to handle inbound in Rarotonga, so Island Hopper Vacations was formed with me and two staff in Brian Baudinet’s Budget Travel Mana Court office, in May 1990. “We soon moved near the airport as we kept running out of space.” “16 years ago we built Turama House in Nikao.”
Whilst in Samoa, Robert met Polynesian Airlines flight attendant and his future wife Elisapeta, known as affectionately as Mousie. One of her aunties named her Mousie, as she was so small as a baby.
“Chris was an amazing leader. His skill was to get out there and do the marketing! I used to follow ‘Tourism’ around; that is how we grew the business. I have attended ITB Berlin (travel trade show) 25 times." Robert’s strategy has been if Cook Islands Tourism is overseas on a promotion then Turama should be there too: “And, it’s worked!” In Europe and Asia for the past five years Turama, Rosie Holidays, and the South Pacific Tourism Organisation have worked in partnership to run ‘Meet the Pacific’, an event bringing together South Pacific resort partners, tourism boards, and airline partners, with European tour operators.
“We married in Samoa in 1977 and were together over 40 years. We have five children: Mousie had three children, and we added another two in New Zealand, Nathan and Shannon, before coming to Rarotonga. We now have ten grandchildren and seven great grandchildren.” The Skews made Rarotonga their home in 1990. Soon
Robert Skews is entrepreneurial, and for over twenty years the Cook Islands Tourism Corporation benefited from his inclusion on their board. Robert cites Chris Wong, former CEO of the Corporation, as one of his greatest influencers; he also paid tribute to the influence of the late Dorice Reid, who served as a fellow board member.
One thing that distinguishes Robert Skews from his peers in Rarotonga and overseas is his choice of Samoan lava-lava
On the road again, Copenhagen 2018
(sarong) as his business and leisurewear: “Since living on Rarotonga I’ve worn it; it’s so comfortable”. We asked Robert his thoughts on the future of Cook Islands inbound market. “My concern is that we lose our uniqueness. We are ‘boutique’ - we don’t have the Sheratons and the Hiltons, and we don’t need them. This is our point of difference. But, we really are struggling on Rarotonga with infrastructure and there needs to be brakes put on accommodation development. “Also, we need to find ways to develop the outer islands. The great thing is we don’t need to manufacture tourism in the Cook Islands!” Robert said he would like to see better Los Angeles and Sydney services with at least two flights a week: “Another option is maybe to have Fiji Airways link Australia through Fiji to Rarotonga; I think that could work! “You know, I love this industry and the Cook Islands. We just need to be more careful about the bringing in plastics, noisy bikes and cars, and jet skis in the lagoon! Let’s keep our pristine image; it’s our advantage!”
Yakitori and Cuban cigars in a beach bar eatery named after a volleyball THERE ARE MANY SMALL RESORTS IN THE COOK ISLANDS; NONE QUITE LIKE THE QUIRKY CASTAWAY RESORT ON THE SUNSET COAST OF RAROTONGA.
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ought from the bank in 2012, the resort has developed its infrastructure and built its reputation over the past seven years through the determination of its co-owners Paul Ash and Michelle ObergAsh.
Michelle’s sister Frances about twenty years ago. Michelle is a former Miss Cook Islands. Whilst Paul was doing his thing, Michelle was a senior executive for 18 years at the Ministry for the Pacific Islands Affairs in Wellington.
Managing director of Castaway Resort 2012 Ltd is New Zealander Paul Ash who comes from a maverick-style business upbringing. According to Paul his previous vocation was ‘a contract chief executive troubleshooter’ working for various banks, corporations and organisations. Paul met Michelle Oberg in Christchurch during a blind date set up by
“We got married in Rarotonga in October 2011,” said Paul “Then I was still doing work in Christchurch. Michelle had moved to Raro so we made a conscious effort to buy a business and settle here. “We bought Castaway in May 2012. It was completely run down. It came with 12 rooms, one part time cleaner and a guy doing a bit of gardening. The bar and restaurant were closed down”. Michelle took over the accommodation side, and Paul focussed on getting the bar and restaurant going. The old restaurant was called Crusoe’s so it occurred to Paul that a good name for a beach bar and eatery was Wilson’s after Tom Hanks ‘friend’ in the movie Castaway.
Paul Ash, Castaway’s managing director
Cool style, warm service is now the order of the day at Wilson’s, which is
located right on the beach next to the newly renovated restaurant. The open sided, elevated, undercover section of restaurant seats seventy, whilst sixty can be seated in the open on the beach. “We have live music on two or three evenings, Friday being the most popular with Anania Brown.” Wilson’s bar and the restaurant (breakfast, lunch and dinner)
Cool style, warm service is now the order of the day. are open seven days a week, except on Sunday when the bar opens at 6 o’clock. The restaurant menu offers a different theme every night including pasta, Mexican, curry, and seafood.
Wilson’s Bar and the new restaurant, beachside on the Sunset Coast at Arorangi
“I enjoy the occasional cigar but when I came here years ago you couldn’t buy a cigar. There’s only one type of cigar to smoke and that’s Cuban! I import them now for sale at Wilson’s”. Another innovation introduced by Paul is Yakitori skewers: “There is a selection of beef, lamb, chicken, tuna, scallops, prawn, vegetarian and cherry tomatoes, all marinated in our secret Yakitori sauce!” With the food and beverage fairly well looking after itself,
it was time to seek out new investors to help renovate and extend the accommodation from twelve units to eighteen. “All existing rooms are now being upgraded and additional units being built. All 18 will be fully self contained and air conditioned.” Today Castaway Resort is a successful local business to be enjoyed by all, with a harmonious and cooperative relationship between its accommodation, food and beverage.
