In writing about the impacts of tourism on the Cook Islands (page 58) Rachel Reeves has impeccable pedigree: her step-grandfather, the late Harry Napa, opened the first private accommodation on the islands.
The Kiikii Motel, aimed at travellers on a budget, went up on Rarotonga’s southern coast a decade or so before Rachel was born—years before the international airport, now five kilometres down the road, was up and running. People laughed at Harry for thinking such a project could possibly pay off, Rachel says. But the motel was the first of dozens.
Rachel herself, now 36, didn’t get roped in to answer phones or change sheets the way her cousin did—she grew up in California—“but when I went to Rarotonga as a kid we spent a lot of time at the motel, swimming at the pool.”
Harry’s pictured here with his wife, Rachel’s beloved grandma, Pauline Napa. Pauline relished hosting tourists, Rachel remembers; she especially loved watching visitors light up as they spent time in Rarotonga. Regular guests became friends, popping over for dinners at Pauline and Harry’s place.
Now, with Harry’s children at the helm, the motel is still packed every summer.