ENB tourist authority needs K3.6 million for programmes

The National Business

THE East New Britain (ENB) Tourism Promotion Authority (TPA) will need K3.6million next year to successfully implement its programmes says board chairman Douglas Pidi.
Pidi said this recently a two-day provincial tourism meeting hosted by the organisation in Kokopo.
The meeting was attended by operators, hoteliers, product owners, government officials and business houses.
“We have put together a budget of K3.6million for 2019,” Pidi said.
“We could not have done that without the necessary frameworks in place.
“Without the Act and the Master Plan we can’t do it.
“Unless we do things properly, we cannot secure that kind of money.
“The East New B tourism authority’s budget for 2019 is in line with the government’s development team of building a broad-base economy.
“The budget builds on progress made is the transition period (2015-2018) and addresses the recommendation of the Gaps Analysis Report.” He said the budget will focus on five key areas;

  • Market ENB as a tourist destination;
  • Product development and investment ;
  • Transport and Infrastructure development; and,
  • Human resource development
  • Institution and industry participation.

Pidi said the aim was to make the ENB TPA a self-sustainable organisation so that it could look after the interest of tourism in the province.
The organisation received no funding in 2015, got K1 million in 2016, received nothing in 2017 and got K500,000 in October.