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Papua New Guinea | 1 March 2023

PSDI supports PNG Tourism Promotion Authority to develop new National Tourism Policy

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The Pacific Private Sector Development Initiative (PSDI) has supported Papua New Guinea’s Tourism Promotion Authority (PNG TPA) with a series of regional consultations on the development of a new PNG National Tourism Policy and Marketing Strategy.

PSDI Tourism Analyst Alcinda Trawen traveled across PNG with the TPA from 928 February 2023 to speak with tourism sector stakeholders as part of a National Tourism Policy 1995 review. This included meetings in Kokopo, Madang, Mount Hagen, and Port Moresby.

Attendees discussed PNG tourism policy reform issues, priorities, and options; the policy development process; future opportunities for PNG’s tourism sector; and the role of the TPA in enabling, marketing, and coordinating the tourism sector.  

PNG TPA
PSDI Tourism Analyst Alcinda Trawen (standing, third from left) attends a PNG TPA regional consultation in Kokopo. 

Alongside these private sector consultations, PSDI held interviews with PNG government departments and agencies to gauge views on the policy and potential avenues of reform.

These activities form part of PSDI’s support to the TPA to rebuild the PNG tourism sector following COVID-19, and undertake longer-term tourism sustainability and resilience planning.

PSDI is glad to support PNG TPA to update the PNG National Tourism Policy and Marketing Strategy, ensuring they better reflect post-COVID-19 conditions and needs,Ms Trawen said.

PNG TPA Chief Executive Officer Eric Mossman Uvovo said consultations on the new National Tourism Policy and Marketing Strategy would inform subsequent legislative amendments to the PNG Tourism Promotion Authority Act 1993.

The new PNG National Tourism Policy is scheduled for completion by April 2023. 

PSDI is an Asian Development Bank (ADB) technical assistance program undertaken in partnership with the Governments of Australia and New Zealand. PSDI supports ADB's 14 Pacific developing member countries to improve the enabling environment for business and to achieve inclusive, private sector-led economic growth.