TPA budgets K30mil annually

Business

THE tourism industry currently has an annual budget of more than K30 million, says outgoing Tourism Promotion Authority chief executive Jerry Agus.
He said the sector used to receive below K10 million although tourism was touted by everyone as so vital to the economy.
“But today I can proudly say that the TPA has an annual budget of well over K30 million a year,” he said.
“Over the four years, we have achieved a lot and it has been massive.”
Agus said when he became chief executive officer, authority staff occupied only half of the fifth floor of the building they had been renting.
“Today we are occupying the entire floor,” he said.
The authority staff numbers has grown from 25 to 50. He said more focus should be on the welfare of employees instead of just concentrating on the mandate of promoting PNG.
“Today I can proudly say that we have undertaken a lot of things to boost the morale of staff,” he said.
“The TPA now has a fully-fledged institutional housing, a staff home-ownership scheme and staff credit scheme to facilitate staff borrowing.”
Agus joined the authority in 2003 as a marketing officer and worked his way up to be a policy officer, senior policy officer, manager policy, director policy and planning and chief executive officer.
“My tenure at TPA has been fulfilling and rewarding,” he said.
Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Walter Schnaubelt thanked Agus for his service.