British travellers targetted in cartoon messages

Caption: An international TV documentary crew from the BBC which included British nationals have lunch with their Papua New Guinean colleagues in the rainforest of Mt Bosavi, Southern Highlands. They spent five weeks in the isolated mountainous region early this year shooting “Expedition New Guinea”, a TV documentary which will premier in the UK at the end of this year.

 

The British High Commissioner will host a reception next week to launch a series of messages targeting British travellers to Papua New Guinea and the High Commission’s new website.

PNG continues to woo British visitors with Tourism Promotion Authority (TPA) records showing 4450 UK arrivals last year, an increase of 26.6% compared to 2007. UK visitor numbers represented 48% of arrivals from Europe. 

Encouraging electronic Registration using LOCATE, an online service for visitor and resident Brits run by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO), forms one of the core messages at the launching of the High Commission’s new website www.ukinpng.fco.gov.uk

Unpredictability of world events such as natural disasters or civil unrest can quickly change a situation for travelling workers or holidaymakers, providing a service such as LOCATE helps ensure that British nationals and their families are contacted and assisted if necessary by FCO staff.

“If you are heading off the beaten track, LOCATE lets you explore in the knowledge that your contact details can be easily accessed in the event of a crisis,” said Acting British High Commissioner Colin Glass.

He added that in 2006-2007 FCO staff dealt with over 2,888,996 million enquiries from British nationals, helped 34,874 people in distress and issued, 11,138 emergency passports and 3, 279 temporary passports.

The messages have been tailor-made for all our customers, PNG-based British nationals, inward travellers and even Papua New Guineans planning to go on holidays or studies in the UK, through a series of cartoons illustrated by popular local cartoonist Bob Brown.

Mr Glass said he hoped these important messages presented in this light-hearted manner, which are to be unveiled at a British citizens reception next Friday, will encourage UK nationals to register online or through the High Commission in Port Moresby.

 

• British nationals in Papua New Guinea can come to the High Commission in Port Moresby to register or register electronically on LOCATE by clicking on the link:  http://www.fco.gov.uk/en/travelling-and-living-overseas/Locate/