Rapa Nui Mayor Elizabeth Arévalo Pakarati announced the creation of the Intersectoral Tourism Council to revitalize the island's visitor economy [1, 2].
The initiative comes as the island struggles to recover tourism levels that plummeted during the 2020 pandemic [2]. Because the local economy relies heavily on international travel, the failure to reach pre-pandemic demand has created a persistent economic gap for the community.
Arévalo Pakarati said the Tapati cultural festival is the central pillar of this recovery effort [1, 2]. The festival is regarded as the most significant event on the island and serves as a primary draw for global tourists. There are conflicting reports regarding the specific festival cycle being promoted, with sources citing both a 2025 [2] and a 2027 [1] timeline.
Beyond economic growth, the mayor said the cultural celebrations are intended to preserve social cohesion. The events are designed to bridge the gap between different age groups on the island.
"We want to generate bonds between the elderly and the children," Arévalo Pakarati said [1].
The newly formed Intersectoral Tourism Council will coordinate efforts across different government and private sectors to streamline the visitor experience. This strategic approach aims to stabilize the industry by diversifying the appeal of the island beyond its archaeological sites, integrating living cultural traditions like Tapati into the long-term tourism model [1, 2].
“We want to generate bonds between the elderly and the children”
The creation of the Intersectoral Tourism Council signals a shift toward a more structured, government-led recovery strategy for Rapa Nui. By linking economic revitalization to intergenerational cultural preservation through the Tapati festival, the local government is attempting to protect the island's social fabric while addressing the financial instability caused by the 2020 tourism collapse.
