Four out of five tourists who visited Papua New Guinea in 2024 were satisfied and are willing to return to the country and would recommend it to other tourists, according to the annual PNG International Visitor Survey (IVS) Report released this month.
About 86 percent of the survey respondents recommended PNG and 89 percent said they were willing to come back, the Pacific Tourism Organisation (SPTO) said of the study.
It was made through SPTO’s Pacific Tourism Data Initiative (PTDI) and in collaboration with the Papua New Guinea Tourism Promotion Authority (TPA).
Visitors rated hospitality, tours, handicrafts, accommodation, and activities highly, the report said. Areas for improvement included safety, travel costs, domestic flights, infrastructure, cleanliness, and security.
The survey ran from January to December 2024, analyzing 3,701 responses from 3,775 collected, with a 24% response rate. Nearly half or 42% of respondents were first-time visitors, with an average household income of USD 86,074 (about 366,000 kina).
As expected, PNG’s next-door neighbor Australia recorded the highest visitor arrivals at 39%, followed by tourists from Asia at 35%, and Europe at 8%.
The dominant age group was 40-59 years old, as 48% traveled to PNG for business, 23% traveled for leisure, and 18% went to the country to visit friends and relatives, the report added.
Key attractions for tourists included nature, cultural heritage, business opportunities, and family visits. World War II heritage sites were a major draw for historical tourism, the report said. Visitors appreciated the warmth and hospitality of the local people.
The survey also noted that the average prepaid visitor spending was USD 2,613 (10,750 kina), with 65% (USD 1,699 or 6,990 kina) benefiting the local economy.
In-country spending averaged USD 1,385 (about 5,700 kina) per trip, with an average stay of 10.2 nights. Visitors contributed USD 309 million (1.27 billion kina) to PNG’s economy, a 9% increase from the previous year, the IVS added.
The IVS findings will support evidence-based planning and enhance PNG’s tourism offerings to align with evolving visitor expectations, the report proponents said.
SPTO Chief Executive Officer Christopher Cocker highlighted the significance of the PTDI in shaping sustainable tourism growth across the Pacific.
He said SPTO remains committed to working closely with TPA and other member countries to ensure the PTDI continues to deliver meaningful insights that drive sustainable tourism development across the Pacific.
“As the leading hub for Pacific tourism research, SPTO is committed to equipping our member countries, including PNG, with reliable data to inform strategic decisions. The PTDI is a vital resource that enables governments and industry stakeholders to make informed choices that strengthen regional tourism development,” he said.
TPA CEO Eric Mossman Uvovo acknowledged the value of the IVS findings, as the country seeks to improve visitor experiences and position PNG as a competitive destination.
“These insights are instrumental in shaping the future of tourism in PNG. We appreciate SPTO’s collaboration in delivering these reports, which will guide our strategies for sustainable tourism growth,” said Uvovo.
Since transitioning to SPTO’s management in October 2023, the PTDI continues to serve as an essential resource for tourism data across the Pacific.
Funded by the New Zealand Government, the PTDI supports ten Pacific Island nations—Cook Islands, Niue, PNG, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Tonga, Kiribati, Timor Leste, and FSM-Yap—in evidence-based planning and decision-making.
The initiative produces the bi-annual IVS, an annual Business Confidence Index (BCI), and an annual Community Attitude Survey (CAS) report to strengthen regional tourism strategies.
