Bob Bates

The Pathfinder of Papua New Guinea

Bob Bates didn’t just discover Papua New Guinea—he revealed it. With a map in one hand and a vision in the other, Bob spent nearly five decades carving out paths into the heart of one of the most mysterious and culturally rich countries on Earth. To generations of travellers, he wasn’t just a tour operator; he was a bridge to the soul of PNG.

Originally from Australia, Bob first arrived in Papua New Guinea in the early 1970s. What was meant to be a brief posting quickly turned into a lifelong adventure. He was captivated by the landscapes, the cultures, and the powerful sense that here was a place where stories lived—unwritten, unspoiled, and waiting to be shared with the world.

Seeing what others could not, Bob recognised early that PNG was not a single destination—it was a thousand destinations in one nation. From the Highlands to the Sepik River, the Trobriand Islands to the Gulf, each region offered its own language, rituals, and worldview. But tourism at the time was limited, scattered, and inaccessible to all but the most determined explorers. Bob set out to change that.

With deep respect for PNG’s diversity and complexity, he founded Trans Niugini Tours, a company that would become the gold standard for culturally immersive and environmentally responsible tourism in the country. He built lodges in remote areas—Karawari, Rondon Ridge, Lake Murray, Ambua—not as luxury escapes, but as gateways into living culture and pristine wilderness. Each was staffed by local communities, designed to blend with the landscape, and operated with care and integrity.

Bob didn’t just operate tours—he created them from scratch. He pioneered overland and river routes through terrain most had only seen on topographic maps. In his khaki shirts and weather-worn boots, Bob could often be found leading guests himself, explaining a bird call, a carved canoe, or a complex piece of local mythology with clarity and reverence.

What set Bob apart was his commitment to authentic connection. He didn’t commodify culture—he celebrated it. He built long-standing relationships with tribal leaders and elders, ensuring that tourism was welcomed, not imposed. He believed that guests were not just visitors but witnesses to living traditions, and that such experiences should be handled with humility.

Bob’s tours were more than itineraries—they were stories unfolding. A Trans Niugini trip wasn’t about ticking boxes; it was about feeling the mist rise over Tari, hearing the sago creak under paddle, dancing at a sing-sing under moonlight. He helped visitors see Papua New Guinea not as a curiosity, but as a vibrant, complex, and deeply human place.

Over the years, Bob mentored countless PNG tourism workers, from young porters and guides to lodge managers and chefs. He advocated tirelessly for better infrastructure, professional training, and international marketing for PNG. Through his efforts, PNG earned its place on the global tourism map—not as a niche destination, but as a bucket-list experience for the bold, the curious, and the respectful.

Even as age slowed his steps, Bob never stopped planning, advising, and exploring. He remained fiercely proud of PNG’s potential and protective of its future. When he was honoured at the 2025 National Tourism Conference & Expo with a Tourism Lifetime Achievement Award, it was not just a recognition of his career—it was a thank you from a nation he helped introduce to the world.

Bob Bates gave Papua New Guinea something priceless: the opportunity to be seen, understood, and loved by people from across the globe. In every photograph taken from a jungle trail, every lodge that hums with life, and every guide who shares his land with pride, Bob’s spirit endures—as the eternal pathfinder of Papua New Guinea.