Crime, tribal fighting a blot on PNG tourism

Crime and tribal fighting is damaging the country’s image as a tourist destination and stopping the growth of businesses in the industry, says Tourism Arts and Culture Minister Emil Tammur.
Tammur said armed robberies – in which tourists were often the victims – and tribal fighting in tourism hot spots were some of the things that were making tourists stay away from Papua New Guinea.
He condemned the armed robbery of 20 tourists at Tawali Dive Resort in Alotau recently.
The robbers took wallets, mobile phones, cameras and other personnel items from the tourists who had come from Europe, Asia and North America.
That was the third time that a top diving resort in PNG had been attacked.
“These tourists had a great time visiting cultural shows in Enga and Mount Hagen capturing magical moments on their cameras and having great personal experiences of the beauty of PNG only to be robbed on the last leg of their journey,” he said.
“They have now all returned home traumatised and with very bad memories of PNG.
“Is this the type of country we want to promote to the rest of the world?”
He said Alotau was a concern now because a US$20 million (K66mil) tourism hub development programme financed by the World Bank and the Government would be rolled out next month.
The Ambua Lodge in Tari has also closed because of tribal fighting.
“The United States and United Kingdom have placed a level 4 travel alert on Hela Province,” Tammur.
“This is the highest level, and, it is the same travel alert for countries such as North Korea, Yemen, Iran, Iraq and Syria despite no single tourist or foreigner having been hurt or killed in Hela.”
Air Niugini has also stopped flying into Tari, making it even more difficult for PNG tourism operators to get tourists in and out of there
Tammur said tourism bookings at Ambua Lodge and Tawali Resorts increased during times of cultural festivals in Enga, Mount Hagen and Goroka, but now the diving season had been cancelled because tourists feared for their lives.
He said Madang was once described as the best town in the Pacific but law and order problems had crippled the once thriving tourism industry there.
Tammur said he would urgently seek a meeting with the police minister, national and provincial leaders, Air Niugini and PNG tourism operators to discuss issues which were threatening the tourism industry in the country.