State plans to attract more hotels

 THE Government plans to lure more world-class hotels to be established at Ela Beach in Port Moresby – to bring down the cost of hotel accommodation, a Cabinet minister says.

Trade, Commerce and Industry Minister Richard Maru said costs in the tourism and hospitality sector must come down. 

“We are looking for another hotel at Ela Beach to bring in three-world class hotels,” he said.

“The department has been working hard to get these hotels so we can drive competition and build world-class hotels and bring costs down. 

“We want Port Moresby to be the centre of major events. 

“Papua New Guinea and Port Moresby must be the heart-beat of the Pacific.

“And in doing that we must bring the cost of airfares down, we must bring the cost of accommodation and hotels down, we must bring the law and order perception down.”

Maru said the industry was talking to other airlines to service the route between Port Moresby and Singapore.

“Many of our people go to Singapore to access anywhere in Asia.

“Now that Philippine Airlines has come in, the ministry is going to take the leadership to try and encourage other airlines to provide more competition for the route between Port Moresby and Singapore in the New Year.”

He said this was for the purpose of bringing down airfares to attract tourists and overseas businesses to Papua New Guinea.

“We’ve worked for three solid years to get this (Philippine Airlines to Port Moresby) through and I’m so glad that it has come to pass.”