Papua New Guinea Tourism Promotion Authority’s (TPA) CEO, Eric Mossman Uvovo (centre left) and TPA’s Deputy Board Chairman, Mr Andrew Abel (centre right) with members of the Tourism Sector Development Plan Implementation Steering Committee (TSDP-ISC) following their first meeting for this financial year at the APEC Haus late last month.

Papua New Guinea Tourism Promotion Authority (TPA) announces its first successful Tourism Sector Development Plan 2022-2026 Implementation Steering Committee (TSDP-ISC) meeting held on Wednesday 22 May at the APEC Haus, Port Moresby.

The quarterly meeting is crucial to drive the Tourism Sector Development Policy (TSDP), a structured and strategic framework designed to coordinate and facilitate the growth and sustainability of tourism in Papua New Guinea.

This meeting marks the first for this year, facilitated by TPA’s Policy and Strategic Planning Division, chaired by TPA’s CEO, Eric Mossman Uvovo. In attendance were TPA’s divisional Executive Managers, Senior officers, and officers from TPA’s Policy and Strategic Planning and Monitoring and Evaluation teams.

The TSDP-ISC serves as a vital reporting mechanism to track the progress of deliverables outlined in the TSDP 2022-2026. Mr. Uvovo began the meeting by presenting the minutes from the previous session held in 2023, setting a comprehensive agenda for the current meeting. Following this, TPA’s respective Executive Managers provided updates on their achievements, challenges, and plans moving forward for the financial year and the work plans for 2024.

A key highlight of the meeting was the presentation and endorsement of the Terms of Reference for three crucial subcommittees: PNG Cruise Development, Agritourism, and Kokoda Trail Development. These subcommittees are designed to address specific areas within the tourism sector, ensuring focused and effective interventions.
Three specific terms of reference were discussed during the meeting:

  1. Cruise Tourism Development – Reviewing the PNG Cruise Development Strategy.
  2. Agritourism – Conducting a research study to inform the PNG Agritourism Policy.
  3. Kokoda Trail Development – Organizing a Kokoda forum scheduled for July 2024.

The TSDP aims to coordinate and facilitate growth within the tourism sector by establishing subcommittees to guide specific objectives and timelines. These subcommittees are made up of representatives from both public and private sectors, and the Chair is responsible for reporting their outcomes and progress directly to the TSDP-ISC,” said Uvovo.

Although the TSDP 2022-2026 does not specifically mention sustainable outcomes, many identified projects aim for sustainability. The plan provided insights that contributed to the review of the National Tourism Policy, which prioritizes Environmental Sustainability and Cultural Heritage Preservation and Protection.

The TSDP 2022-2026 is aligned with the Medium-Term Development Plan (MTDP) III, ensuring a structured monitoring and evaluation process, this plan is scheduled to undergo a mid-term review to align milestone objectives to the recently launched MTDP IV. The TSDP-ISC meetings provide a platform to identify and address issues impeding the tourism sector, facilitating the achievement of the plan’s deliverables.

TPA’s CEO, Eric Mossman Uvovo emphasized the importance of tourism in Papua New Guinea as a cross-cutting sector that requires a coordinated approach for development and sustainability.

“The TSDP 2022-2026 was crafted using a comprehensive sector-wide approach, emphasizing development through timely interventions in both primary and enabling subsectors. These subsectors encompass the international and domestic tourism sectors, suppliers and providers, product & service, regulations & standards, critical enabling sectors, and leadership and synergy coordination,” said Uvovo.

Uvovo also said that TSDP relies heavily on the support of various stakeholders.

“We face a major hurdle, which is the adequate and timely release of funds for the implementation of the TSDP 2022-2026. The way forward involves working together in partnerships among key stakeholders to achieve mutual sector goals and national strategic plans,” said Uvovo.

 

 

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