TPA INTO NAWAEB & JIMI TO BOOSTS TOURISM

By Martha Louis & Vonu LIBITINO

THE Papua New Guinea Tourism Promotion Authority (PNGTPA) has teamed up with the Nawaeb District Development Authority in Morobe Province and the Jiwaka District Development Authority to advance tourism development through targeted programs.

According to Douglas Keari, PNGTPA’s executive director for research and business, Nawaeb is leading the way as the first district to implement a micro, small, and medium enterprise (MSME) training program specifically for tourism.

Unlike previous training that focused mainly on those already engaged in the tourism industry, this new initiative is designed to empower individuals with potential but limited involvement in the sector. Participants from the local-level governments of Wain-Erap, Labuta, and Nabak have been selected for this training.

Keari highlighted that tourism has the potential to become a sustainable family enterprise, with skills passed down through generations. Nawaeb’s rich landscape, featuring scenic coastlines, rugged mountains, and significant cultural sites, presents abundant opportunities for tourism growth.

The training is aimed at equipping participants with key business skills, enabling them to successfully run tourism-related ventures and make the most of the income generated. A memorandum of agreement between PNGTPA and the Nawaeb DDA is set to be signed next week to formalize the expansion of the program.

The initiative is being co-funded by both PNGTPA and Nawaeb DDA, under the leadership of MP Theo Pelgen.

The program will conclude with a signing ceremony, underscoring the commitment to enhancing rural livelihoods and generating job opportunities in the district.

The event, to be held in Lae, will be attended by key dignitaries, including the Minister for Tourism and Culture.

Meanwhile, in the nation’s capital, PNGTPA signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) today (Friday, 11th of October), with the Jimi District Development Authority (JDDA), at the Ela Beach Hotel in Port Moresby.

This (MoU) is for JDDA to forge a partnership with the PNGTPA, for Tourism Promotion & Product Development.

Jimi MP, Wake Goi as well as the JDDA CEO Mr. Mathew Pyakali, presented to sign the MoU.

Before the signing of the MoU, the Chairman of the Jimi Marita Festival, Mr Gabby Aipanga, presentied a brief overview of Tourism Promotional Activities in the district.

His presentation gave an insight into the Annual Marita Festival; a tourism product that features the Marita; a crop of cultural, health & economic significance in the Jimi District.