By Quinton Alomp – EM TV News, Port Moresby
The government will relook at reopening visa on arrival for Australians arriving in the capital of Papua New Guinea, Port Moresby.
Despite controversy surrounding the issue, Sport and Tourism Minister, Justin Tkatchenko, said it is a move that will encourage the growth of the tourism industry.
Mr Tkatchenko said the ban preventing Australians to have visa on arrival will be revisited by the National Executive Council in coming weeks.
He said Prime Minister, Peter O’Neill, has been briefed on the matter.
Recent statistics from the Tourism Promotion Authority (TPA) shows that Australians made up 54 per cent of international tourists who travelled to PNG. The new Tourism Minister believes the statistics will increase if the ban is uplifted.
He was speaking today at the 4th and final regional workshop review of the TPA Act 1993.
The Act has been reviewed by the Draft Constitutional Law Reform Commission since 2014 and will officially close on April 2. After that, the final Bill will be presented to the parliament.
Mr Tkatchenko said the Tourism Industry now focused on generating revenue and they have proposed to charge a fee of K200 for all international visitors arriving in the country.
The money will then be shared between TPA and the Immigration.
Milne Bay and East New Britain provinces will be the target of TPA this year.
The National government has allocated K50 million to improve the tourism industry, its products and activities in the two provinces this year.
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