PM welcomes top Aussie cruise firm

PRIME Minister Peter O’Neill has welcomed Australia’s leading cruise company, Carnival Australia, into the country.
The government and Carnival Australia made a joint announcement after a meeting at the prime minister’s office yesterday.
The entry of Carnival cruises is a major boost to the local tourism industry and comes on the back of years of hard work by the Ports Corporation Ltd and the Tourism Promotion Autho­rity in developing the cruise sector. 
Carnival Australia, which ope­rates a combined fleet of seven P&O cruises and Princess cruises’ vessels, recently announced that P&O cruises would do a series of cruises here, beginning in October next year.
O’Neill and Carnival Australia chief executive officer Ann Sherry made a joint announcement that it was the outcome the cruise ship development strategy produced by Australian-based CHART management consultants for the TPA  as part of its tourism master plan 2007-17.
The plan describes the region as “one of the last tourism frontiers, undiscovered by western travellers”, with areas only accessible to tourists by sea.
O’Neill said: “The government and people of PNG welcome P&O Australia’s ships to our shores.
“We are taking steps to ensure cruising becomes an important contributor to our nation.
“Infrastructure improvements are part of that strategy.”
In a sign of growing interest in PNG as a cruise destination, P&O cruises recently added two dedicated PNG cruise itineraries to its 2013-14 programme.
The first will be by Pacific Dawn to Milne Bay with calls at Alotau, Doini Is­land and the Trobriand Islands.
“We always believed in Papua New Guinea’s potential as a cruise destination and this has been confirmed by the strong interest following the announcement of P&O cruises’ initial three cruises to the Milne Bay area,” Sherry said.
 “Our aim is for the initial October to April 2013-2014 cruise itineraries to PNG to be the first of many as this relationship continues to grow.”
Sherry said the Milne Bay area would be popular with Australian travellers for its exquisite scenery, its colourful culture and for its historic World War II links for many Australian families.
“We are excited that P&O ships are soon to visit our beautiful Milne Bay region,” TPA chief executive officer Peter Vincent said.
Port Corporation chief executive officer Stanley Alphonse said they were excited about the entry of Carnival Cruises.