More info
Find Travel Agents Near You
Chief Executive Officer of the PNG Tourism Promotion Authority, Eric Mossman Uvovo, has expressed his utmost disappointment regarding the incident that occurred in Kavieng, New Ireland province, reported on the Post Courier on Friday 13th of January. “Kavieng is amongst the top tourist destinations in PNG, it is known for its beauty, friendly people, and safe environment. I am truly devastated to hear that our visitors to PNG have been hurt physically and psychologically by this traumatic experience.”
CEO Uvovo also expressed his disappointment with how the story had been reported, stating that a number of statements in the original newspaper article were incorrect. “I can not stress enough the significance of fact-checking such sensitive stories by journalists before publishing damaging headlines that add volume to the country’s negative perception. PNGTPA spends millions of public funds every year to market and promotes PNG as a tourist destination in the Pacific, yet all it takes is one headline without conducting your due diligence on the facts surrounding incidents, which set us ten steps back in our efforts. With saying this, I do appreciate and understand that there are other social issues that contribute to such crimes, however, I appeal to the media fraternity, to be mindful, that damage of this magnitude has long-term effects on economic sectors such as tourism where our land, people and environment are the assets we sell to the global market.
CEO Uvovo, speaking on behalf of the victim, strongly condemn the leak of the photograph used for the front-page article stating that this photo was taken for evidence collection and to aid the investigation, not to be publicly circulated via print and social media. “I have personally met with the victim of this heinous crime who is still visibly distressed. She will be seeking legal advice for the gross violation of privacy by those present at the crime scene for leaking the image.” CEO Uvovo stated that the victim will have the full support of the Authority to seek legal action where possible, stating that “click-bait or sensationalized stories need to be properly vetted, details and facts checked. I appeal to all journalists, to do your due diligence checks, you possess a power that can make or break a destination for tourism, be very mindful of that.”
In closing CEO Uvovo stressed “I appeal to the government and line agencies responsible, please invest in the youth bulge of PNG. PNG has an increasingly large youth population. When we can not create incubation programs or make alternative technical/vocational options available, we end up with a significant population of youth who turn to drugs and alcohol, resulting in criminal activities. Create opportunities for young people, create jobs for our youth and this will help to mitigate the rising crime rates all across the country”.
For more information, email info@papuanewguinea.travel
The emergence of the Novel Corona Virus (COVID-19) in late 2019 and later declared as a global pandemic in March 2020 has shifted the economic landscape of the world. Notably, the tourism and transport sector have been the hardest hit economic sectors amongst others.
Since the elevated risk of novel corona virus, the global tourism industry has experienced drastic economic impacts with travel coming to a standstill, therefore it is imperative that we navigate the unparalleled social and economic emergency that is COVID-19.
The Safe Traveler PNG Guidelines Program is an initiative of the Papua New Guinea Tourism Promotion Authority (PNGTPA) developed in December 2020 with the endorsement of the PNGTPA management and board, National Controller’s Office and the National Department of Health.
The program focuses on the ‘Niupela Pasin’ or simply reiterating the Covid19 health and safety protocols in the tourism industry. The operators are to follow the Covid19 protocols in order to maintain a clean, healthy and safe business for their guests and employees.
Following the passing of the National Pandemic Act 2020 and the new measures publicly circulated by the SOE Controller of PNG, PNGTPA has a responsibility to ensure tourism industry members are;
These guidelines are our way of ensuring implementation of this Act within the tourism and hospitality sector.
The following Seven Guidelines have been created for:
Aim of the program:
Following the endorsement of the program, awareness campaigns were delivered in mid-2021 to East New Britain, Autonomous Region of Bougainville, West Sepik and the National Capital District. These visits focused on the objectives of the program to encourage membership. Membership to the program is free hence tourism operators are welcome to join the program at any time.
Image: PNGTPA Policy & Planning officer Mary Kanawi (back far left) and tourism workshop participants in Sandaun Province.
For further information, email: policy@papuanewguinea.travel
The Papua New Guinea Tourism Promotion Authority hosted its first Implementation Steering Committee Meeting for the recently launched Tourism Sector Development Plan 2022-2026 on the 29th June 2022, at the Lamana Hotel in Port Moresby.
The Chief Executive Officer Mr. Eric Mossman Uvovo, chaired the inaugural meeting in the presence of 16 organisation representatives to deliberate on the purpose, functions and reporting mechanisms of the TSDP-ISC.
The Implementation Steering Committee (ISC) is the highest working committee that is designed to coordinate all tourism related agendas pursued under the various sub working committees that exist within the sector for national prioritization and development in Papua New Guinea.
The CEO provided his welcome remarks and invited organisations to become members of the ISC to help contribute to the implementation of the TSDP and to grow the industry in the next five years amidst the global pandemic.
Some of the work that will need to be done under the ISC include;
Mr. Uvovo further stated that through collaboration at the TSDP-ISC level, this will enable PNGTPA as the lead sector agency to steer the development of the national tourism industry products and services to a level that is globally and regionally competitive.
The ISC plans to meet quarterly and envisions more organisations to join in the membership to provide sound advice and judgement for all tourism related matters that are escalated at the high level.
All provincial governments have been urged by the CEO to take ownership of the new tourism plan by participating in the ISC in order to ensure that the national plan cascades down to the provincial level through the setup of provincial ISCs as well. The Provincial-ISCs will be utilised to inform the national TSDP ISC as a reporting mechanism for all tourism initiatives and issues encountered in the provinces.
The CEO also stated that stakeholder partnerships with the private sector will also be prioritised to ensure that plan achieves its full potential.
PNGTPA has extended invitation to all other government agencies and private sector stakeholders who would like to be a part of the committee to express their interests to the PNGTPA Division of Policy and Planning for consideration and partnership.
Image: Official launching of the Papua New Guinea Tourism Sector Development Plan 2022-2026. Official guest of honor Prime Minister Hon. James Marape, MP.
For further information, email: policy@papuanewguinea.travel
There is no denying that the global travel and tourism industry has grown exponentially over the past two decades.
E-commerce and Online Travel Agencies (OTAs) have been the biggest driving force of online travel bookings since 2018. Conversion to payments complete the final step of the sales funnel through online payment gateways, and the results of this successful process can be seen from the statistics of the Global Online Travel Market Report with OTA’s generating over 800 billion US dollars in global travel spend in 2021 [i].
The big names in our Papua New Guinea tourism industry like Air Niugini, the Coral Sea Hotels and Kumul IHG, as well as a handful of tour operators – are making it much easier for travel to and within Papua New Guinea with the incorporation of successful online booking and payment systems.
However, the biggest challenge for the industry is how to get SME tourism businesses to also use and benefit from e-commerce, as well as market and promote their products and services online – especially local accommodation providers and tour operators.
Continuous engagement with the industry has revealed to the PNG Tourism Promotion Authority (PNGTPA) the impediments facing tourism businesses and agencies. Many of the issues shared by the industry are rooted in inadequate utility services in their areas of operation, especially electrical and ICT infrastructure that stifle the digital progress of our tourism sector. This is obvious for tourism businesses and agencies who operate in rural locations, where many of our nation’s well-known tourism attractions are found.
Through the Tourism Sector Development Plan 2022-2026 (TSDP), the PNGTPA is committed to working with relevant government authorities and stakeholders to enhance and improve the tourism sector in Papua New Guinea. One of the key strategies of the TSDP is: “Positioning the Tourism Industry as one of the Strategic Drivers of PNG’s Sustainable Economic Growth, where the Government of PNG and the private sector invest in enabling infrastructure, utilities and security with safety to solidly ground tourism as the mainstay for PNG beyond the minerals boom” [ii].
The TSDP identifies seven (7) subsectors in our national Tourism Sector – two (2) of these subsectors directly reference the development of ICT infrastructure in Papua New Guinea to benefit our tourism industry. These two subsectors are the: Provider & Supplier Subsector and the Critical Enablers Subsector.
Key stakeholders the PNGTPA will be partnering with to implement projects focused on improving our tourism industry’s e-commerce and ICT experience are the Department of Information Communication Technology (DICT) and its support agency NICTA, as well as national and corporate financial institutions like the Bank of Papua New Guinea, BSP Limited, Kina Bank and others.
Digital transformation is high on the PNG Government’s agenda, and with the creation of the Digital Government Act (2022), spearheaded by the DICT and NICTA, the journey to improving ICT in Papua New Guinea has become somewhat smoother. Albeit the focus of the Act predominantly serves the digital transformation of government agencies, the PNGTPA identifies provincial tourism offices, bureaus and authorities as beneficiaries of the Act, and therefore key agents in tourism product development, as a result supporting their digital transformation is a necessary measure. Provincial tourism agencies require tourism product databases that will feed the planned national database – of which the PNGTPA will have access to better serve and guide its mandate of marketing and promoting PNG as a desirable travel destination.
Digitalization of tourism in PNG is a necessary state the PNGTPA is striving to achieve for the industry it serves and can only be realized through a holistic approach. The digitalization process has already begun in PNG, although extremely limited to the bigger players in the tourism sector, the PNGTPA is forging a way forward to strengthen and enable the nation’s tourism subsectors, especially local tourism SME’s and provincial tourism offices. The PNG tourism industry is ready for digitalization, but it needs a coordinated effort led by the PNGTPA and its partners to be fully realized.
For further information, contact the PNGTPA digital marketing team: marketing@papuanewguinea.travel
[i] Global Online Travel Market Report 2022-2027
[ii] Tourism Sector Development Plan 2022-2026
ON Wednesday 31st August, 2022, new board members were welcomed at a swearing in ceremony at the Tourism Promotion Authority (PNGTPA) office, Down Town, Port Moresby.
Magistrate Sandy Tiakin facilitated the legal oaths and affirmations of the ceremony, wherein the new members swore to uphold their awarded roles and duties, while upholding the mission and values of the PNGTPA.
Joining the PNGTPA Board are key industry heads: Mr. Andrew Abel, Mrs Keryn Hargreaves, Mr. Michael Cassell, Mr. Willie Gagma, Captain Andui Koralyo, Mr. John Pung and Mr. Dominic Ira.
The new board members represent Papua New Guinea’s tourism sector, including the airlines, tour operators, attractions, hotelier industry, as well as government and financial institutions.
Also present at the new board members swearing-in were PNGTPA’s CEO Mr. Eric Mossman Uvovo and senior management: Director Corporate Affairs Ms. Abuti Kevin, Director Policy & Planning Ms. Ingrid Kuman and Director Marketing Research & Promotions Ms. Alice Kuaningi.
For further information, contact the PNG Tourism Promotion Authority, Office of the CEO: cleopatra.aramanat@papuanewguinea.travel
Image (L-R): Michael Cassell, Hon. Kennedy Wenge, Willie Gagma, Hon. Isi Leonard, Magistrate Sandy Tiakin, Eric Mossman Uvovo, Keryn Hargreaves, John Pung, Captain Andui Koralyo and Abuti Kevin.
Papua New Guinea officially opened its borders to international visitors on the 1st July 2022, and visitor arrivals from January to August 2022 show that the country has received 37,537 visitors – 2,182 of these visitors were here on holiday.
Obtaining a tourist visa remains a challenge for bona fide tourists as the 60-day tourist visa on arrival is no longer available. The PNG Tourism Promotion Authority (PNGTPA) will be working closely with the PNG Immigration and Citizenship Authority to reinstate the tourist visa-on-arrival facility to encourage international travellers to visit Papua New Guinea. Meanwhile, tour operators and agents must continue to comply with PNGICA requirements and apply online for their client’s tourist visas using the Immigration Authority’s website portal.
All COVID-19 travel restrictions have been lifted by the Government since 5th October 2022, the most recent being the vaccine test entry requirement for travelers, and the wearing of masks inside airports.
PNGTPA is aware that COVID-19 has become endemic – meaning the world is learning to live with the disease. Therefore, through the Safe Traveller PNG awareness program, the PNGTPA continues to advocate for the health and safety of the members of PNG’s tourism industry and visitors in the country. Industry members volunteer to participate in the program by undergoing training, and are then certified and promoted through the PNGTPA website as a Safe Traveller PNG business that is equipped to provide a safe and healthy environment for their guests and clients.
Since the lifting of the COVID-19 restrictions across the country, tourism in the country is slowly being revitalized, especially with the return of iconic national events like the Hagen Show, Frangipani Festival, Goroka Show and the recent Morobe Show in Lae. These events have not only brought back international travellers to the country, but refocused a great deal of marketing and promotions towards PNG’s domestic market.
For Morobe Tourism in particular, especially the recent 59th Morobe Show, hundreds and thousands of people attended the two-day event hosted at the Lae Showgrounds. Papua New Guinean show-goers came from the Highlands region, as well as from the Madang and Northern Provinces to attend, what is now becoming the nation’s biggest show with a strong focus on agritourism. Morobe Show is one of the most well-run, self-sustaining events in Papua New Guinea, hosted by the Morobe Agricultural Society – a successful case study for all events and festivals in Papua New Guinea.
Despite the Morobe Show’s success, there are many challenges ahead for tourism in the Morobe Province. Developments of attractions and products in Lae and the wider and remote Morobe Province are key areas the PNGTPA wish to assist the province with. However, the issue of a functioning provincial tourism office is vital in the bridging this assistance at a national level for tourism development in Morobe. The PNGTPA will be revisiting an MOU signed in 2018 by the Morobe Provincial Government and the Ministry of Tourism Arts and Culture.
In March this year, PNGTPA visited the districts of Nawae and Finschaffen to meet tourism product owners and service providers. The team also carried out marketing awareness and delivered guest lectures to the students of the Poly Technical College in Lae.
PNGTPA continues to market and promote Morobe as a travel destination in Papua New Guinea through its website: www.papuanewguinea.travel, particularly events like the Morobe Show, accommodation providers in Lae, as well as local tour operators like LaeAbout Tours and Fuzzy Wuzzy Expeditions.
Morobe Attractions will be a significant part of PNGTPA’s online marketing and promotions next year, working with the Morobe Provincial Government will be a vital and necessary step in showcasing the best of one of PNG’s most vibrant industrial hubs.
Image: Competitors at the Morobe Show rodeo style event. Lae city, Morobe Province.
For further information email PNGTPA director marketing Ms. Alice Kuaningi: marketing@papuanewguinea.travel
The Papua New Guinea Tourism Promotion Authority (PNGTPA) is one of the proud sponsors of the Papua New Guinea Rugby Football League (PNGRFL) and the PNG LNG Kumuls team, contesting at the 2022 Rugby League World Cup in England.
Mr. Eric Mossman Uvovo, PNGTPA chief executive officer, announced the sponsorship as creating a new pathway in Sports Tourism, which explores a different angle of destination marketing and awareness through local and international sporting events.
The sponsored partnership with the PNGRFL offers PNGTPA an incredible opportunity to carry out promotion and awareness of Papua New Guinea as a travel destination at one of the world’s most prestigious sporting events in the United Kingdom (UK) – the Rugby League World Cup (RLWC).
The UK is also an important travel source market for tourism in Papua New Guinea (PNG). The PNGTPA is utilising the opportunity at the RLWC to promote PNG as a travel destination worthy of its ‘A Million Different Journeys’ brand, all the while raising awareness that our country’s borders are now open, and that we are warmly welcoming travellers back into the country.
Two PNGTPA marketing officers and a cultural tourism ambassador join the PNG LNG Kumuls during the team’s community engagements and pregame entertainments throughout the five-week long tournament in England.
Simon Pih, PNGTPA marketing officer Australia & New Zealand / RLWC lead; Pamela Hoepel-Aupae, PNGTPA marketing officer North America and Europe; and Cedrick John, cultural ambassador have completed several media engagements. The team were interviewed by the Warrington Worldwide media crew, The Guardian newspaper and local radio station where they spoke passionately about the country.
The PNGTPA team were similarly involved in public engagements at touristic sights and localities in England namely, Warrington, St. Helen, London, Liverpool, Manchester and Doncaster.
Warrington Market and the Two Brothers Café also invited the PNGTPA and PNG LNG Kumuls team for PNG Coffee Tasting and livestream on Saturday 22nd October, 2022. The Two Brother Coffee Shop will be selling PNG coffee throughout the RLWC and are happy to distribute destination marketing collaterals such as visitor maps, tourism product brochures, pamphlets and banners brought over by the PNGTPA team.
These and other events are opportunities presented to the PNGTPA by PNGRFL to participate together with PNG LNG Kumuls as side events. As part of its mandate, the PNGTPA proudly promotes all Papua New Guinea products and services, this includes Accommodation, Tours, Travel & Leisure activities, Arts & Crafts, Food & Textile, Sports & MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences and events).
The highlight of the PNGTPA and PNG LNG Kumuls community engagements was the school visits to Bradshaw Primary School and Sacred Heart Primary School in Warrington.
The PNGTPA officers were given an opportunity to briefly share about travel and tourism in Papua New Guinea, while the cultural ambassador briefly demonstrated the colorful Huli Mali dance of Hela Province.
The School Principals and teaching staff were thrilled about the extra surprise by the Huli Wigman, commenting that this will have a lasting impact on an individual child’s life. The school visit presented the PNGTPA with a different angle to introduce the destination to a younger generation of future travellers.
The PNGTPA and PNG LNG Kumuls team will be visiting major cities and towns for more destination marketing engagements at public squares, photo opportunities and most importantly engaging with the public, while sharing wonderful stories and travel information about destination Papua New Guinea, the land of ‘A Million Different Journeys’.
Images: Cultural tourism ambassador Cedrick John in London and Warrington engaging with the local communities, alongside team members of the PNG LNG Kumuls and the PNG Tourism Promotion Authority.
For more information about this partnership please contact Ms. Alice Kuaningi – Director Marketing Research & Statistics on email alice.kuaning@papuanewguinea.travel
The year 2022 marks the 80th Anniversary of the World War II campaign, 1942 – 2022, a momentous period in Papua New Guinea history.
Battles between the allied and axis powers raged across the territory of Papua and New Guinea – none more poignant to the memories of Australians, New Zealanders and Papua New Guineans than that of the Kokoda Track Campaign.
Between July to November 1942 a series of Battles were fought along the Kokoda trail, beginning from the beaches of Buna in the Northern Province to Ower’s Corner, Koiari, in the Central Province.
Casualties numbered in the thousands during the Kokoda campaign, and the tales of sacrifice, victory and defeat still linger among the descendants of those that lived to witness the battles. National commemorations are held annually to remember those that served.
For Papua New Guineans, the special days of commemoration are ANZAC Day, April 25th; National Remembrance Day, July 23rd; and Fuzzy Wuzzy Angels Day or Kokoda Day, November 3rd.
The Fuzzy Wuzzy Angels are heroes of national renown in Papua New Guinea. They were native Papua New Guinean recruits who served as laborers, carriers and scouts during the Kokoda Campaign.
The name Fuzzy Wuzzy Angels was immortalized in the poem ‘The Fuzzy Wuzzy Angels’ by an Australian sapper, Bert Beros.
The Fuzzy Wuzzy Angels
Many a mother in Australia,
When the busy day is done,
Sends a prayer to the Almighty
For the keeping of her son,
Asking that an Angel guide him
And bring him safely back
Now we see those prayers are answered
On the Owen Stanley track,
For they haven’t any halos,
Only holes slashed in the ears,
And with faces worked by tattoos,
With scratch pins in their hair,
Bringing back the wounded,
Just as steady as a hearse,
Using leaves to keep the rain off
And as gentle as a nurse.
Slow and careful in bad places,
On the awful mountain track,
And the look upon their faces,
Makes us think that Christ was black.
Not a move to hurt the carried,
As they treat him like a Saint,
It’s a picture worth recording,
That an Artist’s yet to paint.
Many a lad will see his Mother,
And the Husbands, Weans and Wives,
Just because the Fuzzy Wuzzy
Carried them to save their lives.
From mortar or machine gun fire,
Or a chance surprise attack,
To safety and the care of Doctors,
At the bottom of the track.
May the Mothers in Australia,
When they offer up a prayer,
Mention those impromptu Angels,
With the Fuzzy Wuzzy hair.
Sapper Bert Beros
NX 6925, 7th Div., RAE, AIF
(The Fuzzy Wuzzy Angels and other verses, published 1945)
Above image: Photo by George Silk of Australian Private George Whittington being led to a field hospital near Buna by carrier Raphael Oimbari. Image colorised by Aufa Tora Media.
For more information on Fuzzy Wuzzy Angels Day and the Kokoda WWII 80th Anniversary, please email: ppd@papuanewguinea.travel or call +675 320-0211
THE Tourism Promotion Authority (PNGTPA), just like all National Tourism Offices around the world, is welcoming travellers back to Papua New Guinea with the reopening of the Tourist Information Centre at the Jackson’s International Airport in Port Moresby, Friday 14th October, 2022.
The reopening of the Tourist Information Centre at Jackson’s International Airport was officially opened by CEO of the PNGTPA Eric Mossman Uvovo and CEO of the National Airport Corporation Rex Kiponge.
The Centre, will be open from Monday to Friday, 8 am to 4.30 pm, and will serve as an information hub for all tourism enquiries at Jackson’s. There will be two friendly PNGTPA information officers who will be working full time at the Centre to assist enquirers.
The Centre is in an ideal location where visitors at the Jacksons International Airport can easily walk over to the Tourist Information Centre to get information regarding travel and tourism, especially accommodation, tours, hire car, events and attractions in Papua New Guinea.
The Tourist Information Centre was operational in 2019, however closed its doors when the COVID -19 Pandemic affected travel globally.
In early 2021, the PNGTPA renovated the Tourist Information Centre, but handed it over to the Health Department and TrackPro to conduct PCR Testing for arriving passengers. The Centre was vacated early this year, allowing the PNGTPA and NAC to carry out further maintenance and renovation.
The PNGTPA is thankful to the National Airports Corporation for the enduring partnership over the last couple of years in helping promote tourism in the country. The PNGTPA and NAC will be signing an MOU to set up similar Tourist Information Centres in other airports across Papua New Guinea.
For further information email Ms. Alice Kuaningi marketing@papuanewguinea.travel
Above Image: Official ribbon-cutting ceremony at the reopening of the Tourist Information Centre.
Above Image: (L-R) NAC CEO Rex Kiponge, PNGTPA CEO Eric Mossman Uvovo, PNGTPA Director Marketing Alice Kuaningi.
Above Image: Tourism information officers (L-R) Joy Wenapu and Gohi Oring.
Chief Executive officer of the PNG Tourism Promotion Authority (PNGTPA) Eric Mossman Uvovo said Cruise Tourism was one of their key agendas for the year following the easing of travel restrictions back in Papua New Guinea for commercial shipping.
Uvovo said, “Cruise Tourism as we know today can be traced back to the beginning of 1960s coinciding with the decline of transoceanic ship travel and introduction of the first nonstop air travel between USA and Europe.”
“This is according to its history, however for PNG, Cruise Tourism is an essential part of our tourism program where visitors from all over the World can come to PNG and cruise around on our beautiful islands and enjoy the breathtaking scenery, including our blue seas, the lagoons, riverways, reef and many other beautiful sites we have across our islands.”
Uvovo said, “We all know that our country is blessed with an abundance of natural resources as well as the environment itself is a paradise on earth. We haven’t realized how beautiful our country is, from the Highlands to the coastal areas, we are richly blessed and at TPA, we want to showcase all these beautiful places to the world and Cruise Tourism will certainly play its part in making sure PNG is marketed and we bring in more tourists into our country.”
“Cruise Tourism involves an all-inclusive holiday on a cruise with a set and specific itinerary in which the cruise ship calls at several ports or cities and I tell you, our beautiful breath-taking islands and its seas inclusive of their natural and yet beautiful white sandy beaches, coral reefs, riverways, best diving spots, and many more is offered here in our country and that is where many tourists around the World will Love to see and experience first -hand, this is what PNG can offer in terms of Cruise Tourism,” the TPA CEO Uvovo said.
Uvovo said PNG with its diverse culture and landscape, it imperative that we bring back Tourism Cruise after it was stopped for over two years since the onset of the global pandemic in 2019.
The CEO said, our coastal villages are accessible through air and sea, and bringing back Cruise Tourism will enable our visitors to see our waters, seas and what it has to offer, we can attest to this simply by looking at the increase in cruise itineraries since 2009 when PNGTPA launched its Cruise Development Strategy. This strategy provided the pathway to strategically positioning PNG as an ideal cruise destination in the region whilst identifying the key infrastructure investments that were needed to meet the capacity of larger global cruise liners. Through strong partnerships with key stakeholders such as PNG Ports, NMSA, Department of Transport, Immigration, Customs, and NAQIA, the long-term impacts of cruise tourism have been felt in island communities that play host to an array of cruise passenger vessels.”
“It (Cruise Tourism) is certainly a luxurious form of traveling involving an all-inclusive holiday on a cruise with a specific Itinerary in which Cruise Ship calls at several ports or cities and voyage around our beautiful islands at the same time enjoying the best time of the lives on the ship or boat while seeing these places,” he said.
“This would not have been possible without the clearance from the controller’s office, other government agencies, and stakeholders who have been instrumental in the reopening of the Borders for commercial shipping in August this year.”
“We thank you Controller David Manning and office as well as the Department of Health, PNG Ports, Department of Transport, NAQIA, Customs, Immigration, and NMSA for the efforts put in the reopening of the borders.”
“I would like to take this time to thank you all for taking the step forward for the good of this beautiful country and re-opening the borders. Thank you for your effort and perseverance,” Uvovo said.
Uvovo thanked the international cruise liners and expedition ships that cruise PNG waters for their patience during the border restrictions, stating, “it has been a period of uncertainty with the onset of the pandemic and after effects, however, it was imperative that we restart economic activity for our island and riverway communities and welcome back our tourist in a safe manner, ensuring that all local cruise communities and tour operators are well versed with the Nuipela Pasin health and safety protocols. As such we look forward to welcoming back one of our big players in the region, Carnival Australia’s P&O Cruises, whose cruise ship Pacific Encounter is expected to berth in Alotau on Friday the 7th of October, 2022, on its inaugural port call following the closure of borders since 2019.”
Meanwhile, Uvovo said Carnival Australia has invested in a new multimillion state-of-the-art cruise terminal in Brisbane taking into consideration the proximity to PNG and the rest of the Pacific which will increase significantly cruise itineraries in the next five years.
For further information, email the Policy & Planning Division of the Tourism Promotion Authority: policy@papuanewguinea.travel
Above: (L-R) Deputy Controller National Pandemic Response Dr. Daoni Esorom, Minister for Tourism Arts & Culture Hon. Isi Henry Leonard, PNGTPA CEO Mr. Eric Mossman Uvovo
Thank you for submitting your registration for the PNG Tourism Sector Legislation Review!
Spaces are limited per consultation, so only registered participants will be contacted.
Kind regards,
The Papua New Guinea Tourism Promotion Authority
Thank you for submitting your business form. We will have our team look over the details and then contact you once we have added your details to our website.