Image source: PNG Tourism Promotion Authority
By Kiwiana Ngabung – EMTV Online, Port Moresby
There is no doubt a beautifully diverse country like Papua New Guinea has immense potential in the tourism industry. According to a recent publication, tourism is one of the fastest growing economic sectors in the world, and whatever it takes to develop the industry in PNG is a step towards the right direction.
The PNG Tourism Industry Association (PNGTIA) will facilitate a three-day intensive training on Tourism and the Sustainable Development Goals that will begin tomorrow. The training workshop is focused on sustainable development and tourism, and its link to business and policy.
Participants will learn about the SDGs and its importance to policy, participants will also go on site visits to acquire knowledge on how they can apply minimum international standards to their respective businesses.
Getting participants and other tourism stakeholders to understand the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals and aligning those goals with their policies and businesses towards attaining sustainable tourism is very important.
Concurrently, the Tourism and the Sustainable Development Goals – Journey to 2030 states:
“To unlock tourism’s full potential towards achieving the SDGs, the sharing of knowledge and good practices between all stakeholders – governments, businesses, the UN system, the donor community, academia and civil society – will be vital for the long road ahead.”
In an interview last year with UN News, Secretary-General of UN World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), Taleb Rifai, spoke about the impact of tourism and sustainability.
“Sustainable development is not just about the environment. It’s about the environment, it’s about the community, empowerment, it’s about the relationship with people making their lives better, and so on and so forth. And tourism can contribute to that definitely without doubt.”
The training that will begin tomorrow is a great investment for the sector. It is the first that PNGTIA is holding and is the start of more similar training this year. PNG Tourism Industry Association is in partnership with PNG Tourism Promotion Authority, and in association with Pacific Asia Tourism and Global Sustainable Tourism Council in hosting the training.
