Image: The outlook from the refurbished Ela Beach Hotel.
By the time of the APEC Summit in 2018, Port Moresby could have as many as 2550 high-end hotel rooms, and conference capacity for many thousands. Hoteliers tell Business Advantage PNG that the increase in scale and quality means the capital could become a world-class regional conference venue.
Just five years ago, there were just 600 high-end rooms in Port Moresby.
But economic growth, regional sporting and political events have prompted new investments in rooms and in conference facilities.
The newest project under consideration is a 500-room hotel, with the state-owned enterprise, Kumul Consolidated Holdings (KCH) teaming up with Hong Kong property developer, Shin Kong Pacific Investments.
The plans include a convention centre, gym, spa, restaurants and shops.
While a site has yet to be announced, one option is to build it on waterfront land vacated once the relocation of the capital’s port to Motukea Island has been completed.
It has more than doubled the conference capacity of the city, he believes. In addition, the National Convention Centre in Waigani, with its 700-seat auditorium, was opened earlier this year.
Haigh says Port Moresby can now develop as a regional conference centre, attracting large conferences, which would otherwise go to either New Zealand or Australia.
The events prompting these developments include the 2015 Pacific Games, the FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup in November, the Rugby League World Cup in 2017 and several APEC-related events in the lead-up to the main leaders’ summit in November 2018.
‘Port Moresby is becoming a metropolitan city,’ observes Deidre Halstead, Group Sales & Marketing Manager for Coral Seas Hotels.
It has developed into a premier location for international events, adding diversity and travellers to PNG, she adds.
Coral Sea Hotels has three hotels in Port Moresby (Grand Papua Hotel, Gateway Hotel & Apartments and Ela Beach Hotel & Apartments), providing a total of 451 hotel rooms. Its conference facilities can cater for up to 800 at Gateway, 230 at Grand Papua Hotel and 180 at Ela Beach Hotel.
Upgrades
Clearly, greater competition in Port Moresby’s hotel sector is driving investment in upgraded facilities.
The Lamana Hotel recently completed major renovations, including impressive new food and beverage venues, while Airways is reopening its signature Vue Restaurant soon, after extensive renovations.
Coral Seas has spent K7 million upgrading its 97-room Ela Beach Hotel. It is also spending K25 million on new dining facilities at Gateway Hotel, most notably Jackson’s Restaurant, Bar and Gaming. Two new dining areas open in October: Enzo’s Pizza Express Takeaway and Sizzler’s Family Restaurant.
Major hotels in Port Moresby
| Hotel | Owner/manager | Rooms | Status |
| Airways Hotel | Constantinou | 149 | Vue restaurant refurnished |
| Crowne Plaza | Kumul Hotels | 157 | For sale |
| Ela Beach Hotel | Coral Seas Hotels | 97 | Recently renovated |
| Five star hotel proposed | Shin Kong Group & Kumul Consolidated Holdings | 500 | MOU signed August 2016 |
| Gateway Hotel | Coral Seas Hotels | 130 | Renovations under way |
| Grand Papua | Coral Seas Hotels | 161 | Opened December 2011 |
| Hilton Hotel | Star Mountain Plaza/Hilton Hotels | 212 | Completion set for ‘late 2017’ |
| Holiday Inn | Kumul Hotels | 153 | Refurbished 2010 |
| Holiday Inn Express | Kumul Hotels | 199 | Opened May 2015 |
| Laguna Hotel | TST Group | 60 | Opened May 2014 |
| Lamana Hotel | Constantinou | 103 | Recently refurbished |
| Proposed ‘luxury hotel’ on Paga Hill | Paga Hill Development Co | 200 | Opening end 2018? |
| The Stanley | R H Group | 429 | Opened June 2016 |
| TOTAL ROOMS | 2550 |
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