tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28244882.post1717399631607946711..comments2024-03-05T17:54:53.307+10:00Comments on Malum Nalu: Global call for tourism ambassadors for Papua New GuineaMalum Naluhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17513608976714683688noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28244882.post-1007457068281794182009-12-13T10:49:04.827+10:002009-12-13T10:49:04.827+10:00Hi Malum,
Thanks for sharing this. A word of cau...Hi Malum,<br /><br /> Thanks for sharing this. A word of caution - I think the best thing right now is consolidation of existing endeavours - eg. Kokoda Trail, Shows - Hagen etc, surfing, diving, upgrade redundant airstrips, etc and back up the in-country tour operators/hotel and guesthouse owners and other tourism supporting entreprenuers to get into modern communication technology and do this themselves. Why do we have to keep on looking outside for people to promote tourism in/for PNG? Let's put all that money into investing in our own people in-country to develop strategic partnerships and alliances in their own field of tourism...this will see and nurture an organic growth of international tourism promoters within PNG. They should be given the oppportunity to be PNG's frontline 'tourism ambassadors'. Apply this idea to Papua New Guineans who are already in the business or who are interested, willing and able to get into the tourism industry. Promote our own people and they WILL promote PNG. No need to keep on paying someone else. I don't buy the expertise argument - they just have a bigger pocketbook and a wide reach only...our own people have the whole package except the size of their pocketbook - this is the crux of this issue. Sorry but I am sick and tired of overlooking Papua New Guineans and settling for half-baked so called experts on PNG. Tourism is a grassroots industry and should be promoted as such...this is PNG's comparative advantage and who better to promote that than its own people already inside the industry itself. If the developers of this initiative want to see the tourism experts and promoters in PNG they will definitely see them but if they don't want to, they won't see them - simple! I say, market PNG to its own people, by its own people, with its own people first - that is where the sustainability of the industry lies. Get this foundation right then the international marketing will follow and be less of a marketing ordeal and nightmare. We've got to find the trigger within PNG. This initiative - whilst it looks sexy and good on the surface is fraught with some obvious dangers that should never be allowed to repeat themselves. I have grave doubts about it. For starters - if it doesn't work or is unsustainable they will be blaming it on lack of money...same old same old. How boring - back to square one - and the vicious cycle goes on. <br />These are my views on this initiative.<br />Cheers,<br />MariAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com