A REPORT just released by the Papua New Guinea Tourism Promotion Authority shows an estimated US$23 million (K38 million) injected into the country’s economy by tourists in 2024, marking a promising outlook for the nation’s tourism sector.
The new data released by Tourism Promotion Authority (TPA) showed significant growth in visitor numbers and spendings in August 2024, demonstrating Papua New Guinea’s appeal to the world.
According to TPA, the total number of visitors arriving by air in August 2024 reached 9222, highlighting the country’s ongoing appeal to international travellers.
A noteworthy two per cent increase in visitor arrivals from Australia compared to August last year underlines the importance of the Australian market, which remains PNG’s largest source of visitors with the country still accounting for 39 per cent of all arrivals, while China had the lowest representation at just 0.1 per cent.
Business travel also showed positive growth, with a 2 per cent increase in business travellers this August compared to the same period last year.
The employment sector saw a substantial rise, with 36 per cent of visitors coming for work purposes, which demonstrated the country’s appeal as an emerging destination for employment opportunities.
TPA chief executive officer, Eric Uvovo highlighted the significance of PNG as a unique destination. “The steady growth we are seeing in visitor numbers, particularly from our key markets like Australia, shows that our country is not only a hub for tourism but also an attractive destination to work and play.
“The fact that over a third of visitors are coming for work shows the global appeal of Papua New Guinea, with each visitor contributing to our economy.
“PNG will remain committed to providing ‘a million different journeys’ for tourists and business travellers alike,” said Mr Uvovo.
This post was originally published on here
