The Papua New Guinea Tourism Promotion Authority (PNGTPA) has officially launched the National Tourism Policy 2025–2045, establishing a 20-year roadmap to develop a resilient tourism sector that promotes sustainable and inclusive economic growth while safeguarding the country’s cultural and natural heritage. The policy was developed with support from the Pacific Private Sector Development Initiative (PSDI).
Writing in the policy’s foreword, PNGTPA Chief Executive Officer Eric Mossman Uvovo said: “As one of the fastest growing socio-economic sectors, tourism has the innate potential to stimulate growth, create decent jobs and business opportunities, and improve livelihoods.”
The policy sets out to increase the supply of quality visitor experiences, achieve global benchmarks in sustainable tourism, enhance PNG’s competitiveness as a niche tourism destination, and boost tourism’s contribution to employment, revenues, and small and medium enterprise development. To achieve these outcomes, the policy is structured around 15 priority areas, with specific actions and responsible partners identified for each.
Minister for Tourism, Arts and Culture, Honourable Belden Norman Namah, said: “Our National Tourism Policy marks a new chapter for tourism in Papua New Guinea. It is focused on maximizing tourism opportunities and will position the sector as a pillar of inclusive and sustainable national development.”
The policy was developed through extensive consultations with public, private, and community tourism stakeholders, reflecting a shared vision for the sector and a whole-of-government commitment to its development. Implementation will be led by PNGTPA and monitored by the Parliamentary Committee for Tourism, Arts and Culture.
In his remarks at the launch, Soon Chan Hong, Asian Development Bank Country Operations Head, highlighted the importance of collaboration:
“The policy’s success will depend on commitment from all stakeholders, not just the Tourism Promotion Authority, to continued dialogue and to ensuring that it is implemented with sustainability and inclusion in mind.”
PSDI began supporting the development of the policy in 2023, assisting PNGTPA with stakeholder consultations and the drafting of the document for government endorsement. At the launch, Mr. Uvovo acknowledged PSDI’s contribution:
“I would like to thank PSDI. Without your support, without your input, I don’t think we would have reached this milestone.”
The National Tourism Policy 2025–2045 positions PNG to harness tourism as a key driver of economic growth, community development, and environmental stewardship over the next two decades.
