Hotels agree to lower rates, says official

By HELEN TARAWA
MAJOR hotels in Port Moresby have revised downwards the packages they are offering guests during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Leaders’ Summit in November, an official says.
Apec Coordination Authority chief executive Christopher Hawkins made the announcement when responding to concerns raised about the high cost of accommodation in the city.
He said the Apec authority team had been seeking the cooperation of hotels to bring the room rates down in line “with the normal Apec range”.
“So far we have found the hotel managers agreeable and they have revised the packages they are offering to their guests,” he said.
“Concerns have been raised by Apec members about the rates some hotels are looking to charge during the Apec Leaders’ Week.
“In any host city, it is anticipated that hotel prices will increase during the Apec summit. That is the nature of a market economy when there is increased demand for a limited product.
“In every Apec host city we visit as part of the PNG delegation, we paid very high prices for hotel rooms –typically three times the normal rate during peak days.”
Hawkins said it should also be expected that “more than a couple of hundred million kina in foreign currency will enter our economy over the course of the Apec host year”.
“So there are clear benefits for the hospitality sector. Ultimately, Apec is a long-term gain for Papua New Guinea, including businesses such as hotels.”