Sir Peter expects improvements in industry

Business

By CLARISSA MOI
A GRADUAL improvement in the country’s tourism industry is expected after the state of emergency, according to Madang businessman Sir Peter Barter.
Sir Peter said it would happen when international flights resumed.
“However, programmed tourism with international tour operators will be very slow for a number of reasons, not the least of which is that many tour companies and travel agents have gone bankrupt because of the Covid-19,” he said.
“It takes 18 to 24 months to market tours and cruises to PNG.
“(Tourists) will be reluctant to travel internationally and instead travel within their own countries.
“It will take time. The world is in shock and travel has taken a whopping blow. Apart from travel agents, hotels are facing difficult financial times and we are anxious to see how the Government will provide stimulation packages which must be done in consultation with the private sector.”
Sir Peter said the PNG Tourism Promotion Authority needed to develop products that suited the market demand and at an affordable cost.
“We have to listen to what the market wants and develop products to suit the market and at an affordable cost,” he said.
Sir Peter said his company, Melanesian Tourism Services (MTS) was now marketing cruises and tours for 2021 and 2022 with dates scheduled and as soon as the situation returned to normal and people were able to travel, its marketing team would be on the road convincing operators to sell PNG.