Tourism growth in region positive: Kulang

THE Asia-Pacific region is a significant contributor to the advancement and growth of tourism globally, says Minister for Tourism, Arts and Culture Tobias Kulang.
He opened the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) Tourism Working Group meeting in Kokopo yesterday and said it was reflective of the above average market growth in the region which registered a 9 per cent growth rate within the first four months of 2016.
He said tourism growth in the Apec region continued to generate positive performance.
He said about 500 million tourists travel between May and August, accounting for 41 per cent of the year’s total international tourist arrivals.
Kulang said the Tourism Working Group meeting in Kokopo was the first Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation meeting Papua New Guinea was hosting since 1993 outside Port Moresby.
“Papua New Guinea is fully committed to working alongside Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation member economies to advance and promote a better understanding and recognition of tourism as an engine for economic growth and prosperity, ensure sustainability and inclusive growth in the travel and tourism sector, promote labour, skills development and certification in order to develop the tourism workforce in the region and promote competitiveness and regional economic integration through policy alignment and structural reform.”
One of the topics to be discussed at the tourism working group meeting is the recent decision by the Government to issue visa on arrival to Australian citizens.
The meeting brings together tourism officials from Apec member countries to look at how to expand tourism in the region.