Papua New Guinea Tourism Promotion Authority Proud Sponsors of the PITA27

Papua New Guinea Tourism Shines at the 27th Pacific Island Telecommunications Association’s Annual General Meeting and Business Expo Forum

The Papua New Guinea Tourism Promotion Authority (PNGTPA) is one of the proud corporate sponsors of the 27th Pacific Island Telecommunications Association AGM & Business Expo Forum (PITA 27), hosted by the Telikom PNG Limited at the Hilton Hotel, Port Moresby.  The event’s theme was: Reimagining Service Excellence, Ubiquity and Resilience in a Post COVID Pacifica.

The prestigious ICT event was held over a four-day period, with many different topics presented by expert individuals working in the ICT space.

Guest speakers at the PITA 27 event were deputy prime minister Hon. John Rosso, and Hon. Timothy Masiu, Minister for Information and Communications Technology.

The PITA 27 registered over 300 participants from 35 countries across the Pacific, representing more than 100 organizations.

As a sponsor of PITA 27, the PNGTPA supported the event in-kind by providing entertainment throughout the whole four-day event.  Entertainment included multimedia – destination promotion videos that played during intermissions in the program, as well as a variety of cultural and contemporary performances.  From welcoming choirs stationed at the Jackson’s international airport, to the Oro singsing group performing at the Hilton Hotel Port Moresby – the PNGTPA ensured participants were warmly welcomed and experienced a sample of Papua New Guinea’s unique culture.  A strong supporter of PNG’s creative industry, the PNGTPA also organized contemporary performances for the event, these included live bands, interpretive dance, storytelling and poetry in motion.

Hosts of the event, Telikom PNG Limited, provided the PNGTPA with exhibition booths, which were utilized to showcase and promote Papua New Guinea’s many travel and tourism opportunities through tourism brochures, posters, maps, and merchandise.  The PNGTPA also used the opportunity to run a survey competition involving participants who were asked to share their MICE Tourism experience (meetings, incentives, conferences and events).

Tourism industry members brochures and marketing material were also on display at the PNGTPA booths.  Local tour operators Buna Treks and Tours were on site at the tourism booth marketing their tour packages to event participants, and managing to successfully book sightseeing and trekking tours.  The Loloata Island Resort team were also present at the booths, they were kind enough to offer a day-trip as a draw prize for the business-card-draw that happened daily.  The Loloata team also managed to secure bookings during the event.

NCDC Tourism and Amazing Port Moresby collaborated with PNGTPA to sponsor the welcoming groups, which was the Peroveta group from Central Province and the West New Britain group. With their sponsorship, they were also given a booth to exhibit alongside PNGTPA.

The team representing PNGTPA at the PITA 27 were director marketing Alice Kuaningi, and marketing officers: Pamela Hoepel-Aupae, Liebert Kirakar, Gohi Oring, Kadara Wanu, Esther Jack, IT officer Gini Gabi, as well as tourism volunteers: Dylan Tamari, Steven Komboli, James Lamang and Melanie Nup.

Telecommunications is a key enabler for tourism development and business initiatives.  PNGTPA’s commitment towards PITA 27 also aims to build networks with our PNG telecommunications companies, encourage their interest in our tourism sector that can potentially enhance digital infrastructure and drive communication into remote regions of Papua New Guinea where many of our tourist attractions are found.

Tourism in PNG can be positively influenced by telecommunications, however there are challenges related to network coverage, internet speeds, and access to remote areas.  However, ongoing efforts are being made to improve telecommunications infrastructure throughout the country to further support the tourism industry.  The Tourism Sector Development Plan (2022 – 2026), demonstrates a way forward on how the country’s tourism sector can vastly improve through partnerships with ICT service providers.

The Pacific Islands Telecommunications Association (PITA) is a non- profit organization formed to represent the interests of Pacific Islands in the field of telecommunications industry, bringing together experts, industry leaders, and stakeholders from across the Pacific to discuss latest trends, technologies, and challenges facing the industry.

^{Above image: Melanie Nup and Kadara Wanu at the Tourism booth, PITA27.  Credit: Liebert Kirakar}

^{Above image: Florence Bunari of Buna Treks and Tours at the Tourism booth, PITA27.  Credit: Liebert Kirakar}

^{Above image: Oro traditional group performing at the Hilton Hotel Port Moresby, PITA27.  Credit: Liebert Kirakar}

^{Above image: Peroveta group welcoming the PITA27 officials at the Jacksons International Airport, PITA27.  Credit: Pamela Hoepel-Aupae} 

For further information, email: info@papuanewguinea.travel