INHABITANTS of Papua New Guinea’s (PNG) Miline Bay are “working round the clock” to welcome P&O Cruises’ maiden sailing there this November, which will double the province’s arrivals immediately.
Sailing from Brisbane to Miline Bay, the superliner Pacific Dawn will ferry over 2,000 passengers into Miline Bay, said Joel Keimelo, marketing officer at Papua New Guinea Tourism Promotion Authority.
During the 10-night sail, the cruise ship will call on provincial capital Alotau, as well as Doini Island and Trobriand Islands within PNG.
“We have about 300,000 people living in Miline Bay but this is the first time we are welcoming so many tourists into the province,” he said. Miline Bay welcomed under 1,000 arrivals for the full year of 2012.
Keimelo said buildings, shops and craft markets were being developed to the tune of five million PNG kinas (US$1.9 million) ahead of the cruise, adding: “We will definitely show them our traditional dance, and we have another surprise that we cannot reveal yet because we want to save it for our visitors.”
Pacific Dawn’s call at Miline Bay coincides with the traditional Canoe and Kundu Festival, where locals compete in canoe races, costume displays and cultural performances. “PNG brings tourists into a different environment altogether because of our rich culture. We have so many festivals every year.”
“With so many different provinces, every product is different culturally.”
Emphasising PNG’s adventure tourism potential, Keimolo said village tours, cultural festivals, bird watching, trekking and sea activities are popular tour products.
With 21 provinces in PNG, Keimolo hopes the cruise will build tourism awareness locally.
“Right now we have to educate our people to show them how and why tourism will benefit them directly, and it is important to involve everyone so tourists can leave the country with a lifelong memorable experience,” he commented.
