As a member of the Cook Islands national netball team and an ex-Miss Cook Islands, Alanna Smith flies her country's flag up high on the international stage, making the small island of 236.7 sq km - roughly a third the size of Singapore - known to the rest of the world.

The islands' picturesque beaches have made it a popular holiday destination, with its tourism industry accounting for almost 70 per cent of the economy. But the influx of tourists has also had a negative impact on her country's largely untouched islands, affecting the wildlife and vegetation there.