LOCAL tourists is the way to go for Papua New Guinea (PNG) after the Coronavirus (Covid-19) devastated international travel and the tourist industry but the high cost of airfares is discouraging it, an official says.
When presenting the PNG Tourism Promotion Authority (TPA) 2019 annual report in Parliament , Minister for Tourism, Arts and Culture Isi Leonard said PNG had a big domestic tourism market.
 |
| Move To Reduce Airfares in PNG to boost Economy |
He said TPA was working with key stakeholders such as Air Niugini, hotels and resorts, tourist operators and tourism product dealers to sell tourism at affordable rates in order to encourage people to visit other provinces and destinations in PNG.
“TPA is currently in dialogue with Air Niugini and National Airports Corporation to reduce airfares where possible, particularly the hidden tax components that increase airfares,” he said.
“In the next six months we will be writing to our development partners to seek some technical assistance to do an independent assessment and study into the cost and fees structure of our airline industry.
“(This is) to understand where we can do reforms to cut down the cost of air travel in PNG or provide subsidy to help stimulate domestic tourism and travel.”
Leonard said TPA had gone ahead and introduced the “safe travel concept” with the formal endorsement of the National Pandemic Control Centre which was a certification process for the PNG tourism industry.
“It is a programme aimed at guiding the industry to maintain and reinforce Covid-19 health and safety protocols in their respective establishments as per the Niupela Pasin guidelines.
“Awareness has been conducted on all concepts in all the regions.”
Leonard said other major impact projects were:
- THE “PNG tourism satellite account” which as the standard United Nations-approved method of measuring the direct contribution from tourism to national economy of any country;
- VIRTUAL expo with buyers across the globe; and
- WORLD exposition in Dubai which started in October.
- Leonard said PNG was one of the best tourism destinations in the world because of its biodiversity.
- “Tourism is a sleeping giant that needs to be woken up.”