According to the PNG Tourism Promotion Authority, the number of foreign tourists to the country declined by about 82 per cent last year due to the Covid-19 pandemic and its negative effects on travel (TPA). In 2020, only 39,000 foreign tourists were counted, down 170,000 from the previous year and the lowest in the last 20 years. PNG's largest sourc...

With international borders shut down to contain the virus, PNG experienced a downfall in international travellers from January to June last year - 32,805 as compared with 75,556 of the same period n 2019, a drop of 57 per cent. In addition, tourism-related businesses and enterprises suffered major losses, and there is a dearth of tourists visiting shoppin...

Crucial reforms have to be made so that the tourism industry can move forward.According to Minister for Tourism, Arts and Culture Isi Leonard, they need to ensure that the environment for the tourism industry is significant to these changing times. He added that the enforcement of standards will add value to competitive advantage as a destination to ensur...

The pandemic has indeed affected the tourism industry in the country.This was according to Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Isi Henry Leonard who said that the travel restrictions has brought less international tourists to enter the country and has caused fewer tourism activities. However, he said that it is important to promote local tourism and activi...

The high costs of airfares have been a challenge to domestic travel and tourism. According to the Tourism Promotion Authority (TPA) Chief executive officer Eric Mossman, that in spite of the ill effects that the pandemic has brought to the country, this has allowed them to reassess and see where the industry was and how to maximise that potential in the c...

Unlike other economic sectors such as fisheries, agriculture, and mining, the tourism industry in Papua New Guinea has not been explicitly measured in the economic statistics for its contribution to the gross domestic product (GDP).Thus, said PNG Tourism Promotion Authority (PNGTPA) chief executive officer Eric Mossman Uvovo. He added that even if the tou...

The pandemic has caused big losses, including the revenue loss of around K70 million due to the closure of international borders. According to the Tourism, Arts, and Culture Minister Walter Schnaubelt, the tourism industry has been affected in a huge way. He added that the government had been putting capital into small-and-medium enterprises (SME) to weat...

To address issues in the industry, new chief executive officer of the PNG Tourism Promotion Authority Eric Mossman plans to work on policy and legislative reforms. He added that the TPA Act 1993 needs to be reviewed.“A lot has changed in the tourism sector and we have to review the act to ensure that we are compatible with the changes and to accommodate a...

The tourism industry of PNG is looking up. According to Treasurer Ian Ling-Stuckey, the government has pointed out stimulus funds to help the tourism industry. He didn’t say the amount but added that the budget for tourism was overlooked. In a statement during the handover ceremony of the tourism ministry to incoming Walter Schnaubelt from outgoing Emil T...

Like many industries around the world, the tourism and hospitality sector in PNG are struggling to survive and recover, Lae Chamber of Commerce president John Byrne said, who hails from Lae.According to Mr Byne, businesses in the Lae area have developed procedures to keep themselves afloat - with at the most 40 to 60 per cent capacity. While some have red...