Governor Ginson Saonu: Tourism a "sleeping giant" in Morobe

 Morobe Governor Ginson Saonu has described tourism in his province as a "sleeping giant".

Tourism Arts and Culture Minister Emil Tammur and Morobe Governor Ginson Saonu sign the agreement.

 He said this on Friday, Sept7, when signing a memorandum-of-understanding with Tourism Arts and Culture Minister Emil Tammur and Tourism Promotion Authority chief executive officerJerry Agus to develop tourism in Morobe.

Present were TPA chairman and Nawaeb MP Kennedy Wenge, Morobe Provincial Administrator Bart Ipambonj, Salamaua LLG president Philemon Tomala and Huon Gulf chief executive officer Moses Wanga, among others.

After the signing. From left are Tourism Promotion Authority CEO Jerry Agus,  chairman and Nawaeb MP Kennedy Wenge,  Tourism Minister Emil Tammur,  Morobe PA Bart Ipambonj, Morobe Governor Ginson Saonu and Huon Gulf CEO Moses Wanga. 

The National Cultural Commission and National Museum and Art Gallery are also signatories to the MOU.

"Mountains are there, rivers are there, bushes are there, conservation areas are there, tree kangaroos are there, culture is there, Tami Island carvings are there," Saonu said.

"All of these are there but we have not utilised them.

"Tourism is a sleeping giant in Morobe.

"The signing of this MOU will enable us to create tourism products."

Saonu said now now that the MOU had been signed, the onus was  on the TPA and Morobe administration to make it work.

"All in all, we are all for it (tourism)," he said.

"After the Wafi-Golpu mine is finished, this will be our only fallback position.

"I believe in tourism, I believe in culture and I believe in the work of the museum."

Tammur said the MOU bound TPA, NCC and NMAG to work together to develop tourism in Morobe.

Tourism Arts and Culture Minister Emil Tammur

"In a way, they all collude to promote tourism," he said.

"East New Britain and MlineBay are tourism hubs, as Government policy, but that doesn't stop other provinces because we are all one country.

"Morobe is one province that we are looking into.

"Morobe has so much history.

"We just can't let it go.

"The mining industry will be gone tomorrow but tourism will be here to stay.

"The young generation and future generations will depend on tourism."

Agus said tourism was an industry everyone would benefit from.

Tourism Promotion Authority CEO Jerry Agus speaking at the event.

"Morobe is one of the provinces that is blessed with tourism products, but we haven't realised that potential," he said.

"We can't discuss on what has happed.
"What has happened has happened, but let us start today and move on.

"We are fully committed to working with Morobe and all its districts."

Tourism Promotion Authority Chairman and Nawaeb MP Kennedy Wenge is a happy man.