Econom i c s e ctor s : T o u r i s m
‘There is certainly huge scope for growth in the province’s existing markets of Australia (sports fishing) and USA/Europe (birdwatching).’
Western Province’s unique eco-tourism offering Bensbach on Lake Murray; a fishing and birdwatching paradise
Western Province boasts truly outstanding natural attractions, yet only the most intrepid tourists currently get the chance to experience them. A range of initiatives is now underway that will finally make the area easier to visit.
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t is not hard to understand why tourism has been identified as a sector of great potential for Western Province. It is already globally renowned for its bird-watching; those in the know claim there is nowhere better on earth to catch barramundi (and they’ve got the world records to prove it); while the majestic Fly River is one of the planet’s great rivers. And yet the province’s tourism sector remains in its infancy, handling a mere thousand or so leisure visitors per annum.
Bensbach Wildlife Lodge This comfortable 12-room lodge, built of local materials, has established a reputation for spectacular barramundi fishing (other species include ox eye herring and saratoga). It is located on the Bensbach River (Papua New Guinea’s most westerly river), in a vast, open, seasonally-flooded plain which is crowded with bird and animal life, including deer, wallabies, crocodiles and wild pigs.
Current constraints
Infrastructure to enable growth All this is about to change though as the transformational projects outlined in pages 20–29 re-engineer the very dynamics of tourism in Western Province. For instance, the Western Province Communications Project is already making reservations simpler, whereas air travellers will benefit from the extensive upgrades of airports at Kiunga and Daru. Meanwhile, the Fly River’s first passenger ferry service will commence operations in 2012.
Three quarters of the lodge’s guests come from overseas, and are often sport fishing groups from Australia. The property is the most remote of a network of eco-lodges around PNG that are owned and operated by inbound tour operator Trans Niugini Tours, which operates its own fleet of charter aircraft, boats and vehicles. Credit: PNGSDP
According to the travel operators who cater to these visitors, this is essentially due to infrastructure and transport constraints, particularly air access. There are no direct international scheduled flights into the province, while connections from Papua New Guinea’s capital Port Moresby are relatively costly and infrequent, and are not always reliable. It is therefore no surprise that there are currently few accommodation options available and those that do exist cater primarily to business travellers (the province’s premier property, Bensbach Wilderness Lodge, is the key exception—see box).
Bensbach is Western Province’s premier tourism destination
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