Guests enjoy full cultural spectacular

Cook Island dancers wow delegates as part of the Pacific Showcase welcome at the Cloud. Photo / Paul Estcourt

A rainbow of Pacific colour and culture was on display at the Cloud in Auckland last night at the launch of a showcase for the region.

As guests entered the venue on Queens Wharf for the Pacific Showcase, they were greeted by a Solomon Islands pan pipe group and treated to food and drinks from around the region as they explored Pacific business displays ranging from fashion and beauty to furniture and art.

Dancers from the Cook Islands took the stage in full costume before Prime Minister John Key, Foreign Minister Murray McCully and Pacific Co-operation Foundation chairman Peter Kiely welcomed the crowd, encouraging them to "see, taste, smell and hear the Pacific".

The three-day event is running alongside the Pacific Islands Forum and is part of Mr McCully's plans to link business more closely with the forum.