Prime Minister James Marape has described Ambua Lodge in Hela Province as a “national treasure,” commending its founder Sir Bob Bates for four decades of promoting eco-tourism and peaceful coexistence between communities and nature.
The Prime Minister, who is also the member for Tari-Pori, made the remarks during his recent visit to the lodge, where he met Sir Bob Bates, owner of Trans Niugini Tours. The two discussed tourism expansion in the Highlands, including the upcoming Hela Heritage Hotel project.
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| Whats Good Papua New Guinea. Ambua Lodge in Hela Province, PNG [Photo courtesy of Ambua lodge] |
Opened in 1985, Ambua Lodge sits twenty minutes from Tari town and is one of PNG’s earliest and most celebrated eco-tourism destinations. It has operated for forty years without barbed-wire fences or security walls—something the Prime Minister said proves “peace is possible” in Papua New Guinea.
“Ambua will celebrate forty years of continuous operation the same year our nation marks fifty years of Independence,” Marape said. “This place stands as proof that hospitality and community can thrive together.”
The Prime Minister recalled his youth working as a tour guide at Ambua in 1991, when he helped visitors explore the waterfalls and observe the Bird of Paradise species that make the area famous among nature enthusiasts.
He paid tribute to Sir Bob Bates for building five iconic lodges nationwide—Ambua, Bensbach, Karawari, Malolo Plantation, and Rondon Ridge—each contributing to tourism growth and local employment.
Marape also acknowledged the contributions of other tourism operators such as Walindi Beach Resort in West New Britain, and properties in Rabaul, Madang, Milne Bay, and Bougainville. He said planned infrastructure upgrades like the Highlands Highway and Port Moresby–Alotau coastal route would boost PNG’s tourism appeal. “We have immense potential to make eco-tourism part of our next fifty years,” he said.
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