The governor of Papua New Guinea's Western Province insists that contrary to negative media reports, the Southern highlands are peaceful and friendly.
The province has seen tribal fighting that forced the last elections to be delayed.
Governor Bob Danaya says there are problems everywhere, but media reporting is putting people off from going there.
"To target a province, like the southern highlands, which is resourceful, resource rich at this point in time, I think make a lot of people think twice about going there. But my personal visit there I think I've seen a completely different picture there in Mendi itself, which is thought to be one of the trouble spots, but I think my visit there has not revealed that."
Governor Danaya says he didn't need any security when he visited Mendi in the Western Province, to attend a Cultural show.
