Traditional landowners of Rabaul town have issued a warning that they will temporality close down three of the most visited tourist sites in Rabaul District.
The Tobebe-Tovalingan-Ratagul, the Indigenous Landowner Group that owns Rabaul town, says tourist-operating services have failed to involve traditional landowners in the tourism market in the province.
Clan leaders say Mt. Tavurvur, Hot Springs and Mt. Kombiu sites will be closed to visiting tourists until an understanding is reached.
Yesterday morning, village elders met and discussed with tour operators about the possibilities of including landowners in the tourism business.
Invitations were sent to tour operators to attend the meeting, but none of them turned up.
“We want the tour operators to join us so we can discuss with them, as currently, they are bringing tourists to sites that are on our customary land,” says Dorothy August, a female landowner representative.
The clan leaders say this is to show their frustrations over what they claimed, an act of greed and exploitation.
Almost all villagers who gathered yesterday agreed to have the three sites sanctioned until they get a response from the tour operators and the East New Britain Tourism Authority (ENBTA).
The landowner group says they have been marginalised on their own land, while tour operators are making money using tourist sites that are situated on their customary land.
“We want to get their attention so we can negotiate. We want to be part of this tourism business. So far, we are not included in any,” said Mrs August.
Meanwhile, the East New Britain Tourism Authority has responded to the landowners’ demands.
East New Britain Tourism Authority CEO, Gard Renson, says it is an outstanding issue that must be sorted out between the site owners and their clan leaders.
Mr Renson says ENBTA is obliged to facilitate tourists coming into the province and not to involve in sorting out landowner issues.
“The way forward is for the group to start talking to the site owners and make awareness on what their intention is. There are some people who own the tourists’ sites who do not want to be part of the ILG group. You can’t just form an association and force people to become part of it,” Mr Renson said.
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