Cruise tourism opens window

THE number of cruise tourists who visited the country last year and this year has provided a substantial boost to the sector and opportunities for local industry participation, an official says.
Institute of National Affairs (INA) executive director Paul Barker told The National that about 55,000 cruise tourists visited the country last year.
He said there were 12,400, who visited the country in the first four months of 2019, albeit still a faction of the tourism numbers enjoyed by many of Papua New Guinea’s neighbours. “Cruise tourism is very concentrated in a few centres largely Milne Bay and Rabaul that can handle large vessels.
“The passengers descend briefly into a few destinations, purchasing available local artefacts, but largely have little local engagement or contributing more substantially to the local economy,” he said.
“Yet the fact that 55,000 cruise tourists were recorded as visiting PNG in 2018 and 12,400 in the first four months of 2019 provided a substantial boost to tourism numbers and some opportunities for local industry participants, still a faction of the numbers enjoyed by many of PNG’s neighbours.”
Barker said by late this decade, the numbers visiting via cruise ships exceeded those other visitors defined as ‘holidaying’ in the country, recorded as 22,400 last year, and 10,800 for the first six months of this year, though that local expenditure by individual tourists staying in hotels and guest houses around PNG was invariably much greater than those on the larger cruise vessels.
“Tourism remains dominated by Australians, providing some 51 per cent of total numbers, and a slightly higher portion of the cruise passengers.
“Visitor numbers are growing from across Asia, particularly Japan, but also more modestly at this stage from the world’s largest tourism source, China, as from across Europe, the third largest market, and the US.”
Barker said PNG was not a destination for mass tourism.
“It does not have the infrastructure and low costs, and it should avoid this market in any case, focusing on a more demanding and exclusive market for adventure, eco-tourism and culture on land and sea, as well as rural and organised sports.
“All tourists, whether backpackers or in luxury lodges or yachts, hiking in the bush or diving, surfing, paragliding, kayaking, bird watching or attending cultural events, all expect a level of personal safety and security, health and hygiene, reliability, whether from airlines or other operators, affordability, quality of service, and bureaucratic efficiency.”