Tourism authority sees hike in cruise ship visitors

THE number of cruise ship visitors to the country rose from 2,600 in 2022 to 31,321 last year, according to the Papua New Guinea Tourism Authority.
Authority executive manager, policy and planning, Ingrid Kuman said: “Looking ahead to 2024, we anticipate that approximately 140,000 international visitors will have visited Papua New Guinea.”
Kuman said the projected growth would be supported through plans by the authority and Air Niugini plans to expand flights to other international and domestic destinations,” he said.
“Additionally, increased marketing activities and the development and packaging of new tourism products will play a crucial role in driving this growth.”
Meanwhile, the 2023 visitor arrivals report showed that a total of 31,321 visitors arrived by cruise vessel into the country the previous year.
The PNG Tourism Promotion Authority decade-long commitment to investing in cruise tourism has seen an increase in cruise liner and expeditionary ships visiting the country between 2014 and 2024.
In 2023, more than 100 tourist ships visited the country. The authority also concluded a four-day showcase of the country’s cruise destinations and tourism opportunities at the 2024 Seatrade Cruise Global event in Miami, Florida, United States.
The PNG’s exhibition booth displayed imagery, videos and information brochures about the cruise destinations in Milne Bay, East New Britain, East Sepik, Morobe, Port Moresby and the Autonomous Region of Bougainville.
Kuman said the Seatrade Cruise Global provided an opportunity for PNG to pique the cruising interest of more than 11,000 attendees, as well as the 2,700-plus cruise line executives at the event.
The PNGTPA is a member of the Australian Cruise Association, one the largest and most well-connected cruise tourism organisations in Oceania.
Members include Tourism Fiji and New Zealand Travel.