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BY A CORRESPONDENT
March 1, 2007
The tourism sector in Papua New Guinea is set to
scale new heights, with the country’s Tourism Promotion
Authority (TPA) expecting an increase in tourist
arrivals. In 2006, the number of international visitors rose by
12% to 77,486 compared to 69,251 in 2005.
Tourism Promotion Authority has said in its monthly
newsletter for January 2007 that 36% of the arrivals was
holiday travellers, while those doing business accounted
for 67%.
“Australia remained as the primary source market
although other markets also recorded positive growths,”
according to Tourism Promotion Authority.
The agency said the increase was in line with its
corporate vision (2004-2008) to increase continuously
visitor numbers by 11-15% each year.
Tourism Promotion Authority, in its activities and
events calendar for 2007, has said some of the major
activities should attract a lot of people from overseas.
The major activities include the 32nd national game
fishing titles to be hosted in Port Moresby. The
tournament, which will take place from April 1 to 4,
2007, would attract a host of local and international
competitors.
“The weekend will give a taste of the spectacular
fishing surrounding Port Moresby,” according to TPA.
Another event, the Papua New Guinea Tourism Exposition,
will be held from September 9 to 11, 2007, which
“promises to be bigger and better” where various tourism
operators and agencies will showcase their products and
services. The event is aimed at bringing together the
tourism industry in the country.
The National Tourism Conference will be held on
September 12, 2007, immediately after the Papua New
Guinea Tourism Exposition. The conference will feature
invited speakers and international guests who will
present papers on issues relating to the tourism sector
in Papua New Guinea.
Tourism happens to be the world’s fastest-growing
industry and represents an important development
opportunity for several countries.
South-pacific.travel, South Pacific’s tourism marketing
and development organisation, has announced the target
revenue for the tourism sector in the Pacific region at
US$2 billion annually by 2010.
Tony Everitt, chief executive of South-pacific.travel,
says: “We believe we are the largest industry in the
region, and certainly have the greatest sustainable
growth potential.”
South-pacific.travel, which carried out an analysis in
2005 on the value of tourism to the region, estimates
that the tourism sector’s value was at about US$1
billion in 2000, from nearly one million international
visitors.
By 2004, the figures grew to US$1.5 billion from about
1.2 million visitors.
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