The rape of an expatriate woman in Kokoda will affect the country’s image to sell PNG as a tourism destination, according to former tourism minister Charles Abel.
“It’s very sad that this industry continues to be beleaguered by such headlines, just breaks our heart when we worked so hard and we know the benefits of tourism brings to many of our communities, villagers-based businesses, hotels and airlines, so on,” Abel said.
“And with all the efforts in promoting our beautiful country, this one or two incidence like what happened at Kokoda Track makes it so very difficult, because we are competing in an international market place, competing against wonderful destinations like Bali, Fiji and New Caledonia, we are equally wonderful but we do not help ourselves by creating headline in what has happened.”
Abel who held the ministry in the past Somare Government and acted in the position for the last couple months in the current government urged local media to report with care.
“We regret it (Kokoda rape) deeply; to ask the media to be sensitive with this issue because every country has its own issues and our country face perception issue in the (tourism) market place.
The Sun Newspaper in London reported that Mattew Iovane from Britain and American Michelle Clemens, both age 31 were held up by face painted men on Monday and the woman raped and their cash and goods stolen at the famous Kokoda Track.