Local campsites and guesthouses in the Kokoda Track catchment region provide a much-welcome rest for trekkers, offering a unique tourism experience for visitors while improving the livelihoods of communities along the track.
These small yet critical individual businesses play an important role in supporting tourism growth on the Kokoda Track and providing a gateway for international and domestic visitors to explore the depth and diversity of tourism in PNG that benefits and builds tourism revenue in Central Province and the National Capital District (NCD).
NCD Governor Powes Parkop and Central Province Deputy Governor Willie Vave were joined by Julius Wargirai, Acting CEO of Kokoda Track Authority (KTA), Alois Kuaso, Acting Director of the National Museum and Art Gallery and representatives from the Australian High Commission and the Tourism Promotion Authority (TPA) at Owers Corner in Sogeri, and donated supplies and equipment to the owners of nine campsites in the southern region of the Kokoda Track.
The donations included a range of water security materials, pipes, tap fittings and solar lighting packages that will enable the campsites and guesthouses to improve lighting and access to water, and raise their accommodation standards to meet trekker and tourist expectations along the Track.
The donations from the Governors for NCD and Central Province and the TPA will enhance tourism growth along the track and improve livelihoods for communities and households in the region.
The PNG-Australia Partnership has supported a range of training to improve compliance with the TPA’s accommodation accreditation standards and promote greater income generation through better business management, service quality and amenities.
In 2018, TPA with the support of the Kokoda Initiative, surveyed over 90 campsites and guesthouses along the Track to assess alignment with the TPA’s accommodation accreditation standards.
The results from the study led to the establishment of the Kokoda Track Campsite and Guesthouse Owners Association, which provides a forum for owners to collaborate and receive training, including in financial literacy and tourism management, to diversify their skills and improve income-generating activities.
The Australian Government works with Kokoda Track communities to improve health, education and livelihood outcomes along the track corridor and support the economic empowerment of local people.
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NCD Governor Hon. Powes Parkop handing over the water security materials and solar lighting packages to the campsite and guesthouse owners.
For further information, including access to related materials, please contact the Australian High Commission media team: +675 7090 0100