Improved visitor arrivals last year, says TPA

PAPUA New Guinea attracted a good number of visitors last year, the Tourism Promotion Authority (TPA) reports.
TPA noted that during the 11-month period to November, 93,981 visitors came. Of the figure, 30,578 were tourists and the other 63,353 were on business-pleasure.
With this trend, TPA said PNG could have attracted more than 100,000 visitors during the year.
The agency said the country experienced strong growth in holiday arrivals during the year from all of its source markets, with New Zealand registering a 158% increase, Oceania (156%) and Japan (104%). Other markets with double digit increases were Australia (40%) and Europe (30%).
Holiday visitors from Asia accounted for 22% of last year’s arrivals, and also posted an increase of 65% from a year ago.
Last November alone, 9,192 foreign visitors came, up 25% from a year ago figure of only 7,342.
Business visitors posted the largest number, accounting for 65% of the whole pie. The group also posted an 11% increase, or 577, from the previous year’s figure.
November holiday makers contributed 33% (2,912), up 48% from a year ago. Those foreigners who attended conferences in the country had increased by 2%, or 218.
TPA attributed the improved arrivals to the introduction of direct flights to Pacific Island Countries and Asia.
The agency also attributed the increase in tourists here to the marketing and promotion initiatives it took in source countries.