The Cook Islands government has announced an unexpected surplus of US$4.7m for the second quarter of the last financial year.
The extra money is largely due to an increase in Value Added Tax.
The Cook Islands News reports the finance minister Mark Brown as saying there was increased economic activity including more tourists last year.
He said government expenditure for the period was also below the budgeted forecast and a key part of that is the lower cost of underwriting Air New Zealand flights to Rarotonga.
Mr Brown said that is a result of a good performance on the Los Angeles to Rarotonga and Sydney to Rarotonga routes.
He said the surplus showed the government was managing well and the country was in a good fiscal position for the financial year.
