Prime Minister James Marape said it is time to establish international flights between Brisbane and Alotau as it aligns the tourism potential that Milne Bay Possess as Gurney Airport gets K76 million-kina upgrade.
Giving his keynote address at the Official Upgrade Opening ceremony at Gurney Airport on Friday 14th August, he said the Government will work with aviation agencies and the Milne Bay Provincial Government to establish the customs, immigration, screening and safety arrangements required for international operations.
“I want this airport to be the first of our tourism airports in our country. I want us to target Alotau and Milne Bay as a tourism hub.”
Marape said Brisbane was being considered because of existing cruise ship movements between Australia and the Pacific, creating an opportunity to connect international air and sea tourism with Milne Bay.
“We can work towards having a flight from Brisbane at the earliest coming here. You come on a boat, and you want to fly out of Alotau, there's a flight for you to fly out. You want to fly in and jump on a boat here; you can fly in and jump on a boat.”
He said the airport upgrade should be supported by local investment in guesthouses, lodges and other tourism businesses so communities can retain more of the economic benefits generated by visitors.
Marape also urged customary landowners to register their land and develop tourism businesses rather than sell their land, saying the government would work with the National Development Bank to support such ventures.
The prime minister said the K76.8 million project was financed through concessional borrowing from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) at less than 3% interest, with repayments scheduled to begin in 2028.
He said the investment should be viewed as an economic asset capable of generating revenue while providing improved transport infrastructure for Milne Bay.
Marape said the airport upgrade was launched on May 24th, 2024, and completed 819 days later.
He also called on local leaders and communities to maintain law and order and support the development of Milne Bay as a tourism, agriculture, fisheries, forestry and mining centre.
