Bad roads linked to decline in tourism

POOR road conditions are hindering tourists from visiting conservation sites in PNG, according to Ken Mondiai, the executive director of Partners with Melanesian.
He said tourists who wanted to see the Managlas and Karamui conservation sites could not go there because the road was bad.
“The road does not allow children and old people to travel because it is very bumpy ride and you also have to walk for some distance,” Mondiai said.
The road from Oro Bay to Managlas in Afore, Ijivitari needs upgrading.
The bridge across the Pongani River was washed away during Cyclone Guba in late 2006.
“To get to the Karamui conservation site is a challenge,” Mondiai said.
“You will walk for days crossing cane bridges, walk through forests and cross rivers using rafts.”
Some tourists access Karamui by air from Goroka. It is a 20-minute flight.