Lukim PNG Nau 2013, a Papua New Guinea tourism promotion event designed to attract national and international operators and agents, has been a huge success, according to both the PNG Tourism Industry Association and PNG Tourism Promotion Authority.

Overseas delegates to the Lukim PNG Nau 2013 tourism promotion event.

Around 30 overseas travel agents and tourism operators came to the exhibition, which ran from 5 to 7 September.

PNG tourism operators from airlines, resorts, small, medium to the large hotel groups, tour operators, lodges, tourism associations, provincial tourism authorities and the Tourism Promotion Authority (TPA) attended.

TPA overseas managers also brought in travel agents for the first time, said Linda Honey, a board member of both the PNG Tourism Industry Association and PNG Tourism Promotion Authority.

‘Not only did they attend as buyers but they got to also experience PNG in their family trips around the country – a wonderful way to get the buyers to sell PNG.’

A half-day forum included discussions about the high costs of travel, safety and security, and fraudulent rouge operators, she said. The event was als0 open to the general public on its last day.

Peter Vincent, the CEO of the TPA, assured participants of the authority and the government would continue to support the tourism industry, its partnership and networks in building tourism in PNG.