Domestic tourism way forward to sustain industry: Sir Peter

By PETER ESILA
PIONEER tourism promoter Sir Peter Barter says domestic tourism will be the way forward for regenerating this sustainable industry.
Sir Peter, who is managing director of Melanesian Tourist Services, said it was refreshing for Papua New Guineans to get to know their country.
He told The National that Covid-19 had negatively affected the tourism industry and it would take about three years to recover and that was why domestic tourism was the way forward.
“Domestic tourism is the way forward,” Sir Peter said.
“The question of survival comes in. But it gives us an opportunity and we as a company, given a 50 per cent discount on all rates that we have at Madang Resort Hotel, just to make it more affordable for Papua New Guineans to travel.
“I think other hotels would have to do the same, we just can’t continue with the normal rates, if a hotel charges K600 a night, drop it to K200, make it reasonable for people to come and stay here.
“We are doing it at Madang Resort, for a 12-month period even if the industry recovers, so that we can redevelop the flow of tourism and all be it, domestic tourism.”
Tourism Promotion Authority (TPA) chief executive officer Eric Mossman Uvovo said it was about time that the Government invested more in sustainable industries like tourism and agriculture.
He said currently, law and order was the biggest issue affecting tourism.
“If you look across, PNG is a wonderful destination, we need to get our priorities right,” he said.
“There is a lot we need to do, we need support from the Government in a big way. You look at Fiji, the Fijian government supports tourism in a big way.
“Of course, we are in a time where the economy is really struggling, but going forward, we need to invest in the sustainable sector and I think tourism is one of those sectors.”