Tourism’s going to school

A TOURISM school is to be estab lished as part of Papua New Guinea’s new push to become a major tourist destination. The school, to be located within the Lae Technical Col lege, will train nationals in hotel, cater ing and tourism both within the public sector and in private ventures.

Prime Minister Rabbie Namaliu and Tourism Minister Gerald Beona have announced a five-year plan which will allow investors such incentives as tax

holidays, reduced airfares and accom modation charges, lower interest rates on loans and the exemption from tariffs of

capital equipment imported for hotels

and motels. “The government wants to aim at 60,000 arrivals a year compared with the 37,000 people who visited Papua New Guinea in 1987. The Prime Minister said infrastructural facilities such as airports, roads, hotels, water sup plies and sanitation, as well as electricity supplies and telephone services, would

be improved to attract tourists.

These improvements would also help open up rural areas, and the tourism benefits would need to go directly to the people and the country. “The imple mentation of the national tourism de velopment plan will be controlled so that it generates both economc and socio cultural benefits without serious disrup tion to traditional cultures and lifestyles of Papua New Guinea,” Namaliu said.

He said the government, through the Department of Culture and Tourism, would encourage more national parti

cipation. □