A Papua New Guinea representative has urged travellers to not let the recent robbery at a PNG airport change their perceptions of the destination.
Yesterday, around 30-armed criminals held up Nadzab airport, which is located 40 kilometres from Lae – the second largest city in Papua New Guinea.
The group overran the airport in the early hours when only 30 people were at the gateway for a morning flight.
Reports say the men held the airport for two hours before escaping across the runway.
One person is said to have been injured and damage was made to the terminal.
In a statement to KarryOn, Papua New Guinea Tourism Promotion Authority Australian and New Zealand representative Georgia Gregerson said the affected area is not popular amongst tourists.
PNG tourism representative says the destination has culture, friendly people and natural beauty. Image: Janelle Lugge/Shutterstock
She said the incident shouldn’t impact people’s perceptions of the destination and encouraged all Australians travelling to PNG to coordinate their holiday with reputable tour companies before travelling.
“It is a shame that this incident has occurred in Papua New Guinea but this has happened in an area that is not generally frequented by tourists. Papua New Guinea offers wonderful travel experiences for Australians and it’s disappointing that incidents like this affect Australians’ perceptions of PNG, as it’s a country filled with fascinating tribal culture, friendly people and natural beauty that is enjoyed by many Australian tourists.”
Georgia Gregerson, Papua New Guinea Tourism Promotion Authority Australian and New Zealand representative
Meanwhile, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has upgraded its travel advice for the Porgera townships in the province of Enga to ‘reconsider your need to travel’.
The overall travel advice for Papua New Guinea remained ‘exercise a high degree of caution’.
