New land has been made available at Lae Nadzab Airport for growth of a supporting commercial business sector.

Several commercial development opportunities at Lae Nadzab Airport have been offered by the National Airports Corporation (NAC) as part of ongoing upgrades.

Lae Nadzab Airport, which is about 40km outside of the Morobe Province capital, is already upgrading operational facilities, while improvements are also being made to infrastructure in the area.

The next step of development the NAC is looking at will involve commercial land for airport and trucking related businesses, truck parking bays, a refreshment shop and a service station. The NAC is also hopeful of developing a ‘bed and breakfast’ accommodation business and a safe parking facility.

Benefits to travellers

Lae Chamber of Commerce (LCCI) President Alan McLay said international and domestic business travellers would benefit from the convenience this development added for users of the airport.

‘It is something we have been working towards for quite a while. This opportunity unfolded when I visited NAC a few weeks ago and expressed concern about the plans to have the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) do a feasibility study for a massive redevelopment, which would take place in about seven years time,’ McLay told Business Advantage PNG.

‘I asked if there was a way we could fast track the development. NAC then visited me with these opportunities for negotiations on a fairly quick development, which is something we will look forward to.’

The NAC has called for expressions of interest to develop the land, as well as for any other blocks set aside for commercial development.

Broader development plans

The commercial opportunities add to a range of development plans that have been proposed or are taking place around Lae Nadzab Airport.

In July 2013, construction of the Lae-Nadzab Road upgrade to a four-lane highway, linking the city and airport, was launched. The road is expected to take three years to complete at a cost of K470 million.

Other plans the NAC have outlined include upgrades to core aviation activities and development of an aviation village.

Elsewhere, Port Moresby International Airport is also undergoing expansion as the PNG capital prepares for the 2015 South Pacific Games, the 2018 APEC summit and a general increase in overall traffic.