Inaugural tourism conference underway in Port Moresby

The two-day tourism conference in underway at Hilton Hotel in Port Moresby.

It was officially opened by the Prime Minister James Marape and Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Belden Namah.

At the opening speech, Prime Minister Marape highlighted that tourism is an underdeveloped and mostly rich but untapped industry, and the government is looking into enhancing it.

"Tourism is much unattempted, much underdeveloped, but yet a profound part of our national character.

"The most diverse nation on the face of planet earth, whether it's from biodiversity or whether it's from ethno-cultural linguistic diversity, we rank number one globally as far as that diversity is concerned. And it's a very, very robust sector intrinsic to our PNG character, so I just want to place a record in my appreciation for Minister Namah for leader this industry," Marape said.

Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Belden Namah said tourism in the country is not dead, it's alive.

Mr. Namah admits that tourism has a huge economic potential in our country, still yet to find its rightful place as a profound economic contributor towards the development of the country.

"There are so many factors that affect tourism in our country, and these are challenges we all must face together, deal with it together, and create an environment that is more favorable friendly and conducive for our visitors to come to our country.

"I will not downplay tourism potential in Papua New Guinea by being too negative, be distressed of a lack of resources and funding.

"Instead, I am duty-bound as a patriot and totally committed as the minister responsible to convert these weaknesses into strengths with whatever little we may have at our disposal to achieve what I repeatedly say all the time, and that is tourism is part of a goal that remains unexplored in our country,"Namah said.

The conference will end tomorrow