Pacific tourism growing strong

By COLIN TAIMBARI
THE nations of the Pacific have been urged to cooperate and promote the image of the region as a desired tourism destination.Tourism Promotion Authority chief executive Jerry Agus made the call in Sydney, last week at the South Pacific Tourism Exchange.
“While we are independent nations promoting our own destinations we must also unite to promote our region,” he told the regional tourism meet.
The SPTE is a trade event organised by the South Pacific Tourism Organisation and all national tourism officers in the region including regional airlines and tour operators to meet wholesalers to tie up deals for visitors wanting to tour the nations of the Pacific.
PNG was well represented by some of our major tourism operators including Sir Peter Barter, of Melanesia Tourists Services, and Bob Bates, of Trans Niugini Tours. Air Niugini was also represented by CEO Simon Foo.
The PNG Community in Sydney performed traditional Mekeo singsing for the guests with PNG TPA hosting the morning tea last Friday at the Sydney International Convention Centre.
Two winners were also announced for sponsored trips to Papua New Guinea later this year.
Maggy Pawlica, a director of Eden Plus, was so excited about her prize she could not stop smiling when her name was drawn from a pool of business cards. She will have six nights’ accommodation at Madang Resort, sponsored by Melanesian Tourist Services.
The other winner was Craig Robinson, of Relaxaway Holidays, who won a seven nights’ accommodation between Rondon Ridge Lodge in Mount Hagen and Ambua Lodge in Hela, sponsored by Trans Niugini Tours. Both their airline tickets on Air Niugini were sponsored by the PNG Tourism Promotion Authority including the domestic sectors via Port Moresby.
Foo also announced the airline’s promotional fare for the Kokoda 75th Anniversary Commemorations. Foo said Air Niugini is offering AUD$75 (K175) return fare to any sector in PNG for trekkers that complete the Kokoda Track and want to spend some time visiting other parts of PNG.
Agus thanked all the PNG tourism operators at the event including Country Tours, PNG Trekking and New Wewak Hotel among others.
Agus said it was commendable that senior tourism operators such as Sir Peter Barter took the time to attend the SPTE to not only promote Madang but PNG as a whole.
“The tourism sector in PNG can only grow with the support of such senior industry partners and also our key stakeholders working together and I commend them for their continuing support to tourism,” he said.
Countries of the Pacific were well represented at the SPTE with Fiji, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu turning up in numbers to sell their respective destinations.
The Pacific in 2016 saw a growth of 3.7 percent compared to 2015. The SPTO reported that countries such as Cook Islands, Fiji, French Polynesia, Kiribati, New Caledonia, Niue, Solomon Islands, Timor Leste, Tonga, Tuvalu, Marshall Islands and Vanuatu all saw increases in tourism numbers.
Fiji maintained its supremacy as the lead tourism destination in the region with 40 per cent of the market share, followed by French Polynesia at 9.5 per cent and PNG at 8.8 per cent.