PNG fast-growing nation

 Papua New Guinea is one the fastest-growing countries in the Asia-Pacific region, the PNG Tourism Promotion Authority marketing conference was told yesterday.

The conference discussed mechanisms for enhancing the development, marketing and sustainability of PNG tourism and the direction it would take next year.

PNG Tourism Promotion Authority chief executive officer Peter Vincent said the country’s gross domestic product growth this year was 8.5% and would increase by about 7 to 8% next year.

He said the purpose of the gathering was to discuss what had been done each year to promote PNG on a global stage and to work on improvements.

“There have been a number of activities happening in PNG over the past three to four years which means, in terms of economic growth, the country is growing fast,” Vincent said.

“Work has been underway for major events and now PNG is preparing for events such as the 2015 Pacific Games and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum.” 

Vincent said that as part of tourism development and the authority’s 2015-2018 marketing strategy, they would be looking at expanding and promoting the cruising division which would make preparations for cruise trips around particular provinces, with the hope of extending to the Solomon Islands and Vanuatu in 2017 onwards. 

The authority hopes that by 2017, the industry will be globally recognised as having a sustainable growth and able to generate investment, employment and business opportunities.