Bird watching is sleeping giant for PNG Tourism Industry

By Anderson Kopono

ECO tourism is a thriving economic sector in Papua New Guinea (PNG) with the potential of boosting PNG’s economy to a whole new level given its rich natural environment with its unique animal species of all kinds.
About 75 percent of the PNG landmass is covered with tropical rainforest giving an edge to all kinds of animal species and spectacular landscapes for tourism attraction.

With that in mind the PNG Highlands Ecotourism Services, based in Mt. Hagen (the biggest city in the highlands region), intends to promote and market tourism by helping individuals, SMEs and organizations to publish, promote and market their tourism products on its Blog, YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, TripAdvisor, Lonely Planet, 7 Summits Club, Linked In and on the globally wider Internet as well as the PNG Media, Pacific Media and International media.

Bird watching and orchid gardening is another exciting prospect in the eco tourism sector with an average of 8 bird watching companies visiting various bird watching sites in the Highlands region recently.

The Howarig Traders – Marketing Agent specialises in tourism e-marketing in PNG come across an amazing individual wishing to set up to launch his career into bird watching and orchid gardening specialist.
Max Mal, a middle aged man from Angi village, Wapenamanda District in the Enga Province was a bird watcher guide with the Kumul Lodge Tour Guide team in the highlands for the last seven (7) years.

He is well versed with the different species of bird and knows how to identify the sounds and tunes of different bird species. “I can tell from their sound if they want to sleep, or when they are happy, mourning/crying or when they are angry,” said Mr. Mal proudly.

“I have long wished to start up my own bird watching and orchid gardening business because I have the land and the forest. I have collected different species of orchids which I planted in my own backyard,” he added.

Thanked God for Howarig Traders (Tourism Marketing Agent) who wishes to help me promote and market my new bird watching and orchid gardening, he said.

Upon visiting his sites at Angi village in Wapenamanda, the Howarig Traders (Tourism Marketing Agent) was impressed with the views and the perfect sightseeing of his orchid garden and the different species of bird which frequented his place.

Volunteer Tourism Promoter for Howarig Traders (Tourism Marketing Agent) Peter Kinjap said the avenue provides a perfect opportunity to launch his own business. “Bird watching Eco-tourism for Max Mal is a prospective venture as a SME,” Mr. Kinjap added.

According to Mr. Mal some of the Birds of Paradise found in his yard at Angi Village at Wapendmanda are Superb, Ribbontail (Shaw Mayer’s), Brown Sicklebill and Crested.

The Bird of paradise is discovered to be originated from the Island of New Guinea. Of the forty-five (45) species found on the planet earth, only six are found elsewhere. Two in Indonesia, four in Australia and the rest is in PNG. Max Mal’s bird watching yard confirmed to have 11 species of the most popular Birds of Paradise but not the Reggiana Bird of Paradise.

The Bird of Paradise also signifies as the symbol of national identity. The national symbol of PNG is the Reggianna Bird of Paradise found both on the National Flag and the National Crest, found only in PNG ranging from the coastal rainforests to about 1,600 meters in many highlands valleys. Birds of paradise are some of the most remarkable creatures in the animal world. Not only are they magnificent looking but their display behaviours set them apart from virtually all other animals.

Other areas in the highlands where Howarig Traders (PNG Tourism Marketing Agent) is eyeing to develop, identify, promote and market Bird Watching as tourism products are the forests near Mt. Giluwe from Tambul and the forests of Kutubu area around Mt. Bosavi. In Mt. Giluwe there is also a story of a Singing Wild Dog and in Mt. Bosavi there is the Giant Rat in the world.  

“Mr. Mal has registered his interest with Howarig Traders (PNG Tourism Marketing Agent) and we will help him to register a business name for what he is doing and provide guide he needs to start up as a SME in the highlands tourism industry,” Mr. Kinjap said.

So far two business groups and four individuals have been registered their interest with Howarig Traders (PNG Tourism E-marketing Agent) for marketing their tourism products.

For more information about Howarig Traders (PNG Tourism E-marketing Agent) on what they are doing to promote and market SMEs in the tourism industry and about Max Mal’s Bird Watching and Orchid Gardening visit the following site, contact on mobile: +675 73081368 or email at: howarig4@gmail.com. For Bird watching of Bird of Paradise in the Highlands of Papua New Guinea, contact Niugini Exotic Tours via email at: howarigc@gmail.com

*Anderson Kopono is a highlands-based freelance journalist attached with Howarig Traders (PNG Tourism Marketing Agent), email: pacinter12@gmail.com