Rest facilities for trekkers, tourists to open in Oro

IN the next trekking season beginning next March, the Kokoda Trail Adventures Ltd will be hosting the opening of its trekkers’ guest house at Ambene village, 30 minutes drive from the Kokoda government station in Oro province.
Community, church leader and owner Pastor Roderick Vana revealed this last Friday saying 20 guest houses and rest facilities were built entirely from bush materials.
This, he said, was part of the cultural image for international tourists who visit.
Pr Vana said the community initiative was completed in July by Ambene and Ingi villagers and aimed to provide shelter for tourists and at the same time be a service provider for locals.
The roofing is made of thick thatched sago fronds with the walls built from woven bamboo.
As a local tour operator Pr Vana completed a six-month hospitality and tourism management programme under the Australia-Pacific Technical College in Apia, Samoa, in July together with other Papua New Guineans in the industry.
He was a member of the official graduation for the PNG students at the Crowne Plaza earlier this month where the Education Minister James Marape officiated.
The young proprietor is now working on a proposal for authorities to direct the track beginning from Owers’ Corner all the way to the coastline of Buna and Gona so that services and other benefits could reach the more than 50 villages that are located in this particular area past Kokoda.