Tourism Promotion Authority (TPA)

DWU graduate awarded for top performance

Marissa Siwa, a graduate in Tourism & Hospitality, stood out among her peers with the highest cumulative GPA, earning her this recognition from TPA.

The award is a testament to her exceptional academic performance, including a commemorative plaque, a mobile phone, and a cash prize of K2000.

Spectacular Gulf Toare Mask Festival

The festival, supported by TotalEnergies PNG, is expected to draw an even larger crowd to the coastal village of Toare in Gulf Province on June 9th and 10th.

Long-time supporters, the Tourism Promotion Authority (TPA) and National Museum and Art Gallery, are partnering with the National Cultural Commission to ensure the success of the event. NCC Executive Director Steven Kilanda welcomed the support from TotalEnergies PNG, noting that it is the first resource company to assist a cultural event in such a significant way.

Bilum Meri Has Her Say

The plant fibres are woven into yarn to make bags or dresses and other garments. Kamel is known locally as the "Bilum Meri" and is an outspoken advocate for women's rights.

At the recent National Cultural Policy launch officiated by Prime Minister James Marape and National Cultural Commission board members, Florence was invited to speak as a representative of the Culture and Creative Industry.

The bilum symbolically represents PNG and is very significant about and to Papua New Guineans and on a very practical level it is what everybody uses from children to grown-ups.

NCC Farewells Tourism Minister

The event was hosted to celebrate the goals he had achieved during his term, paving the way forward in Tourism, Arts and Culture.

NCC Board Chairman and Secretary Department of PM & NEC, Ambassador Ivan Pomaleu when delivering the welcome speech, mentioned how one of the most vocal agendas that have been achieved with the NEC through the Minister’s commitment, was the approved policy.

UAE Company Shows Interest In PNG

Royal Arabian Computers is one of the companies that recently signed a Letter of Intent (LOI) with PNG during the Post Expo 2020 PNG-UAE Economic Cooperation Dialogue in Abu Dhabi last month. 
They have submitted an investment proposal to partner with the Tourism Promotion Authority to create a one-stop-shop Destination PNG Digital Portal. 

The company has been closely following the PNG Pavilion’s Expo journey during the thematic events, including the launch of the PNG SME Digital Economy and the Roundtable on Education, Science and the Green Economy.

Maramuni’s tourism potential

He discovered that the people of Maramuni experienced many challenges in reaching basic services because of the remoteness. “I knew I needed to come to Maramuni. People have been living here since before the country gained its independence and they were isolated and separated by the geography, environment and nature they have lived in.”
 
The news of expectant mothers walking miles with sick children only to experience loss on their journey leaves many emotional and even more so, when they buried their dead with a stone placed over their grave.
 

Team Leaves For Dubai

TPA and the National Cultural Commission held a conference to bring together two teams that left for Dubai today to participate in the expo that starts on Monday 21 February.

They encouraged the ambassadors before they embarked on a journey to represent Papua New Guinea and its diverse culture and tradition through song and dance.

DFAT’s Acting Deputy Secretary for Operations, Magline Moihe told the team they are travelling as ambassadors of PNG and urged them to do well as their conduct in Dubai would reflect the country. 

Major funding needed for tourism promotion

CEO Jerry Agus said if PNG wants to compete with tourism heavyweights, it needs to have sufficient funding.

He said countries that attract tourists have the spending power to promote their destinations.

Agus made the comments during the China Ready workshop held recently in Port Moresby.

“Promoting a destination is not that that easy. We are competing with other bigger destinations like Australia and Malaysia, China and all other countries in Europe,” he said