The Autonomous Region of Bougainville is a highly potential tourism site for Papua New Guinea.
National Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister, Tobias Kulang, described Bougainville as the last frontier of the Pacific, which has so many products to offer tourists.
Minister Kulang made the announcement at the launching of the Buka Town Tourism Development Plan Initiative 2016 to 2020.
Also present to witness the launch was National Communications Minister and Central Bougainville MP, Jimmy Miringtoro, and Autonomous Bougainville Government’s Associate Minister for Tourism, Robert Hamal Sawa.
Kulang thanked the Buka Urban Council under the leadership of Town Manager, Edward Kenai, for initiating such a great plan to drive Buka Town as a tourism zone and destination.
“Congratulations to the Autonomous Bougainville Government, you are getting the formula right and this destination is going to fly,” he said.
The tourism industry is the way forward for Bougainville because it will help grow the region’s internal revenue. And this should be today’s focus.
“The tourism industry will generate high internal revenue for Bougainville.”
The launching paves the way for stakeholders to work together to make Buka Town an entry point for tourism.
“Bougainville is a highly tourism spot and is potential in generating more revenue,” Kulang said.
The Tourism Development Plan Initiative 2016 to 2020 is a guideline that will strengthen collaboration among stakeholders, that by 2018 should see Buka Town declared the fifth tourism zone, with special considerations on autonomy arrangements, as Papua New Guinea’s autonomous region.
