Papua New Guinea needs more regional development to spread tourist dollar

Papua New Guinea's tourism industry says the country's regional hubs need to grow so that communities can benefit.

The Director-General for PNG's Office of Tourism, Arts and Culture, Marianna Ellingson, said her country is set to open its first 5-star hotel to help service a growing conference market, but she's concerned that the tourist dollar trickles down.

She said the government should partner with large hotels to run hospitality schools.

Ms Ellingson said the country must promote and help develop its tour operators, who are crucial to delivering tourists to communities.

"The marriage between product development and tour packages is also a very very important aspect and that's the sort of connection that you want to create that brings the tourist and the community together."

Marianna Ellingson says she's heartened by the Air Niugini flights from Brisbane to Alotau which are set to start in October and help market Milne Bay as a tourist hub.

Source: Radio New Zealand

Papua New Guinea encouraged to embrace cruise tourism

Papua New Guinea has been encouraged to grasp the potential multi-million dollar benefits that cruise tourism could provide the country.

A World Bank study said US$4.5 million was generated from the industry last year and that amount was likely to increase.

Alotau, Rabaul, Kitava, Doini Island and Kiriwina all received economic boosts.

A spokesperson, Nimarta Chung-Banga, said that, for example, each ship that visited Kokopo brought around US$100,000 to the town.

Ms Chung-Banga said infrastructure improvements were needed and locals needed to be educated on tourism to fully capitalise on the potential for growth.

She said cruise tourism was a great way of opening up a destination, which could lead to increasing air arrivals.

"Cruise tourism helps the focus to be on developing good tours that mesh with tourists and based on their liking. Developing a good variety of tours, ensuring all the destinations that are covered in the tours are well developed and are able to tackle the tourists that want to come in . So in terms of product development, it makes the destination ready," said Nimarta Chung-Banga.

Source: Radio New Zealand

Papua New Guinea cruise tourism can help development, says Tourism Promotion Authority

PAPUA New Guinea's tourism promotion authority says it's important to fully capitalise on cruise tourism for the sake of development.

A World Bank report, released last week, says US$4.5 million was generated from the industry last year and the amount is likely to increase.

It also said locals needed to be educated on tourists' needs and the subsequent benefits.

It gave the example of Kokopo, where each ship that visited injected about 100 thousand dollars into the town.

The tourism authority's chief executive, Jerry Agus, said because of the burden ships can place on resources, it's important to fully realise their economic potential.

"When they go to a small town, the exert a bit of pressure on our local residents in terms of taking transportation, especially the buses. Sometimes when the cruise ships come and dock in places like Alotau they need to get fresh water and that puts pressure on our local water supply systems."

Source: Radio New Zealand