Goroka Show Gets Support From PNGTPA Tourism Board

The Papua New Guinea Tourism Promotion Authority has thrown its support behind the Goroka Show with a K50,000 sponsorship. Authority chief executive Jerry Agus said it was the oldest show which continued to promote the country’s diverse cultures and tourism.
“We are proud to show our support to one of the oldest shows,” Agus said.
“It’s a big promotion for tourism in this country. One of the things that gives meaning to tourism is our culture and tradition. Our culture is our identity.
“It’s through avenues such as the Goroka show that people in the province and country come together to showcase the different cultures and traditions we have.”
This will be the 61st time the show is held.
Goroka  Show chairwoman Keryn Hargreaves thanked the authority for the support which she said “is timely for us because this year we did not get the kind of support we got last year”.
The authority has also supported other shows like the Sepik River Crocodile Festival in East Sepik, Mt Hagen Show in Western Highlands and the Kutubu Digaso Festival in Southern Highlands.
 
The Goroka Show has had a great impact on the local economy during the 60 years of its existence, says show chairwoman Keryn Hargreaves. She said accommodation in Goroka were normally booked out with tourists arriving from as far Europe.
“The show is known worldwide. Everybody knows about the Goroka show,” Hargreaves said. The world basically meets Papua New Guinea at the Goroka Show, she said. “Tourists will be starting to come into Goroka as of next week. We are anticipating 700 to over 1000 tourists. “The show has had a great impact. People are starting to move into Goroka now from the surrounding provinces. One week leading up to the show and a week after the show, people are still hanging around. So they bring with them, obviously, revenue to the business community, the markets, the PMV operators, the guesthouses. The show really gives back to the community 100 per cent – 100 per cent investment back into the community of Eastern Highlands.” “We’ll have over 150 singsing groups who will be there from as far as Western down to Southern and Western highlands provinces including the coastal areas like Madang. “We will also have the floriculture and bilum competition. “We’ve also got the Pikinini Festival on Friday. “The intention is to educate our younger generation about our culture and that they need to embrace it and understand it and not to be ashamed to be in your traditional bilas.”
The show is from Sept 15 to 17.
 
Photo: Goroka Show chairwoman Keryn Hargreaves (left) receiving the K50,000 sponsorship from Papua New Guinea Tourism Promotion Authority Chief Executive Jerry Agus
 
 
(Source: The National Business 08 September 2017)