Global call for tourism ambassadors for Papua New Guinea

By Malum Nalu and Barry Greville-Eyres (self appointed PNG Tourism Ambassadors)

This home-grown marketing initiative unveiling PNG’s unique tourism attributes and experiences as The Last Wild Frontier with a Million Different Journeys will make extensive use of electronic communication and media (linked and interconnected email, websites, social networks and blogs) in order to select PNG’s inaugural cohort of global Tourism Ambassadors. It’s an opportunity to venture into relatively uncharted terrain for PNG - experimenting with modern information and communication technologies (ICT) and how they can combine to provide low cost yet highly effective product development and marketing within an emerging tourism industry. The intention is to use existing ICT infrastructure thus reducing development costs.

The initiative will require sector-wide involvement (including traditional and non-traditional players) since tourism has the very real potential to touch the lives of all communities – rural and urban alike. De-mystifying tourism as socio-cultural and bio-physical resource-based growth and development opportunity, primarily for its Papua New Guinean custodians, is central to the initiative. This will require significant tourism awareness and education, enabling PNG women and men to engage meaningfully in the industry. 

Narrative Description:

Highly accomplished individuals (up to a maximum of 12) will be invited to express an interest on-line (through an existing website or an appropriate link) for the unique privilege to become one of an elite group of Tourism Ambassadors representing and promoting PNG for a period of up to three years (first cycle followed by a new cohort thereafter).

Eligibility Criteria:

·       Internationally acclaimed expert and personality with an interest and passion in developing and marketing Papua New Guinea as The Last WILD Frontier offering a million different journeys  ....

·       Willingness to travel to PNG annually (for three consecutive years) for up to 14 days at a time within which the expert will explore and indulge, primarily but not exclusively, in his/her area of expertise within the country;

·       Promote his/her in-country experiences widely (using electronic and print media as well as ICT including personal websites/blogs);

·       Aspiring Ambassadors will have to align themselves with a range of tourism market segments which will include:

§         Community-based tourism;

§         Eco-tourism;

§         Cultural tourism;

§         Qua water-based tourism;

§         Terrestrial tourism;

§         Extreme – adventure tourism;

§         Science and history tourism;

§         Culinary tourism (food & drink);

§         Tourism economics;

§         Tourism education; and

§         Others??? 

Costs:

A cost sharing arrangement where various tourism stakeholders, will in return for exposure, marketing and promotions received, provide a range of in-kind services in return ie Air Nuigini, Coral Seas and other resort hotels, packages provided by specialist tour operators etc.....

Purpose of initiative:

·        Create a uniquely branded marketing & communications ‘strategy’ to promote PNG, specifically its relatively pristine and mystical tourism features & attributes in a responsible manner;

·        Offset the PNG resource boom and its associated developmental challenges with responsible and measured tourism development in PNG that will directly contribute to local economic development and prosperity; 

·        Research, teaching and learning – thorough documentation of experiences & successes/failures; 

·        Explore the reach, impact and utility of contemporary information and communication technology in a developing country such as PNG;

·        Demonstrate that strategic partnerships and alliances can and do work;

·        Build capacity, a national brand – identity - pride and confidence  - we can do this together....

·        Attach a value, appreciation and awe of being able to offer an experience so unique, so special unparalleled elsewhere;

·        Get product information out there.....

·        Internationalise PNG ... ... PNG no longer the last Australian outpost ... PNG has a distinct heritage, brand, products, experiences  - also work on the mis(perception) that PNG is unsafe – perhaps you can be more diplomatic about this....;

·        Develop and vibrant and viable tourism industry linking development that is environmental sustainable – friendly

·        Integrated economic development – agro tourism etc......

·        Market some of PNG’s unique attributes – that differentiate PNG from any other destinations in the world – PNG’s people, culture, agriculture – Highland – coastal cultures and environments.... volcanoes, geological instability ...the last WILD Frontier ...etc....

Picture this.....  Jamie Oliver cooking up a storm on a Kavieng Beach ...... doing the same in the mountains of Simbu .......