Australian firm invest K1.3 m

By CLIFFORD FAIPARIK
An Australian owned trekking company has bumped in K1.3 million into the PNG economy through eco-tourism with a month.
Adventure Kokoda trekking company that brings Australian tourist to walk the historical 96km Second World War track between Owes Corner in Central province and Northern Province is now back to provide economic benefits after the track was shut down for two years due to covid-19.
Adventure Kokoda Owner Charlie Lyn said “In April 2023 Adventure Kokoda led 156 Australians across the Trail.These Tourists ; created 350 jobs for the local villagers along the Track ; and invested K1.3 million into the PNG economy via:
Kokoda Track Authority Trek Permits: K60,000
Salaries: K400,000
Supermarkets: K240,000
International air fares and charter aircraft: K250,000
Accommodation: K160,000
Transport: 80,000
Campsite Fees: 80,000
Campsite Development Donations: K13,000
And our reward for being the major contributor to Kokoda tourism in April was to have our Commercial Tour Operators License revoked for the alleged ‘non-payment of our trek permit fees!’
Mr Lyn said On 24 April 2023 the PNG Minister for Environment, Conservation and Climate Change, the Hon Simon Kilepa MP, revoked our Adventure Kokoda Tour Operator’s License without notice or any official warning, or an opportunity to be heard in respect of the allegations raised against Adventure Kokoda. And we believed that the Minister has been misled by the ‘Kokoda Initiative Committee’ (KIC) within the Conservation Environment Protection Authority (CEPA).and Adventure Kokoda has filed an application for judicial review to challenge the process in which the decision was made by the KIC and its Chair to revoke our license unilaterally without observation of due process. The reasons he provided for the revocation indicate that both he and the KIC were misled by the Kokoda Track Authority and its management.
We were therefore surprised at the Minister’s intervention because a review of the PNG Investment Promotion Authority’s (IPA) website reveals that Adventure Kokoda is the only Australian Kokoda tour company to fully comply with the provisions of their Act since 2018, and the only Australian tour operator to have paid tax in PNG. Trekking expeditions pre-dating 2018 were done through the agency services of Sogeri Enterprises, a fully registered company.