The Cook Islands Cabinet has rescinded a decision it made last week and has now abolished the need for child travellers to pay departure tax.
The original decision had been made in the absence of the Finance Minister Sir Terepai Maoate.
But Sir Terepai has this week convinced Ministers to reverse the decision, pointing that the inevitable negative fallout far outweighs any financial benefits.
He says the country's tourism industry cannot afford the negative publicity that the imposition of departure tax on children would have generated.
