Mt Wilhelm tourism plan launched
By JAMES APA GUMUNO
Member for Kundiawa/Gembogl Open Joe Mek Teine officially launched Mt Wilhelm track tourism plan last Friday near the foot of Mt Wilhelm.
The trekking plan was initiated by Tourism Promotion Authority (TPA) to help develop trekking at Mt Wilhelm.
This was the first trekking plan launched by Mr Teine.
In the past, there was no such plan and as a result, many tourists complainted about trekking when they arrived at foot of Mt Wilhelm because there was no proper trekking set in place.
Mr Teine said TPA made a right decision to come up with such a plan for Mt Wilhelm because it would help Mt Wilhelm trek development committee to set up a good facility for the tourists.
He said Government recognised the importance of tourism by heavily funding the TPA to carry out promotion exercises throughout the country and overseas.
He said Mt Wilhelm is the highest mountain in the country and such a plan would help the committee provide better services and bring in more tourists.
Mr Teine said he would be working closely with the TPA to make Mt Wilhelm a tourist destination.
He committed K30,000 from the electoral development fundto Mt Wilhelm track development committee.
Mr Jerry Agus, the policy and planning manager with the TPA, said it was an initiative of TPA to develop trekking in other parts of the country apart from the Kokoda Track.
Mr Agus said Mt Wilhelm was chosen because it had the potential to attract more tourists.
He urged the locals to take ownership over the project because they would benefit from the visiting tourists in many ways like being guides, as porters, selling artifacts, providing accommodation or selling fresh produce.
He said the plan cost TPA K50,000 and would continue to provide technical advice and marketing assistance to the committee to implement the plans.
Mr Agus said TPA would provide another K70,000 to the committee for the training, awareness and development of trekking.
Governor Fr John Garia said he would help by creating websites for Mt Wilhelm to bring in more tourists from all over the world.
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