Tourists are destined to play a bigger part in the Bougainville economy with the growth of adventure tourism in the autonomous region, its parliamentary speaker says.
While it is remote and transport links are few, Bougainville boasts magnificent forests and towering volcanic mountains to go with palm fringed beaches.
The Speaker, Simon Pentanu, who is also a resort operator, said he was hoping the tourism industry could piggyback on growth already happening in nearby East New Britain and New lreland.
Mr Pentanu said he was pleased by the development of adventure tourism in Bougainville.
"They have got trekking up into the volcanoes, into the lakes, into remote areas where they can see cultural activities that wouldn't otherwise come into towns," he said.
Children on Bougainville, PNG Photo: AFP