While a consultancy’s report has shown that internet costs in Papua New Guinea are amongst the highest in the world, prices are falling. Encouragingly, an agreement announced this week could see internet costs fall even further.
Features
By the time of the APEC Summit in 2018, Port Moresby could have as many as 2590 high-end hotel rooms, and conference capacity for many thousands. Hoteliers tell Business Advantage PNG that the increase in scale and quality means the capital could become a world-class regional conference venue.
Demand for residential houses among the growing urban population, especially in Port Moresby, has increased but the supply of quality and affordable houses has seen prices rise ‘exhorbitantly’, according to a new survey of the housing market by consultancy Niugini Land and Property.
Papua New Guinea’s top bankers discuss the kina, foreign exchange shortages, finance for business and the future of banking services.
The Papua New Guinea government has released its Supplementary Budget to adjust to ‘tough’ economic conditions. It assumes lower economic growth, a weaker exchange rate and higher inflation.
The economic and financial stresses being experienced in the PNG economy are in part due to the narrowness of the industry base, according to a report by the Asian Development Bank. There is a compelling argument for industry diversification; Chey Scovell of the Manufacturers Council says the focus should be on creating stable employment.
The rollout of PNG’s National Transmission Network is on track for completion later this year. It will transform the nation’s digital highway, but that does not mean there will not be challenges, telecommunications analyst Henry Lancaster tells Business Advantage PNG.
Business Advantage International has announced the date for its next major PNG investment conference. The Business Advantage Papua New Guinea Investment Summit will be staged in Sydney in September 2017.
Trials have begun of a way to use the internet to improve the diagnosis of cancer biopsies. It is another PNG innovation that has grown out of the KumulGamechangers Competition, as entrant co-founder, Dr Rodney Itaki, explains to Business Advantage PNG.
Cruise liner tourism in PNG and the Solomon Islands could grow five-fold within two years, according to a study commissioned by the Australian Government, the IFC and cruise operator Carnival Australia. We asked the IFC’s Senior Operations Office, Dina Nicholas, what will make this growth happen.