30 Aug 2011

Funding woes for Bougainville troupe's tourism promotion

7:07 pm on 30 August 2011

Attempts to send a 70 strong troupe of traditional musicians and cultural performers from the autonomous Papua New Guinea province of Bougainville around the world could founder for lack of funding.

The Bougainville Tourism Office is planning to send the troupe first to a PNG anniversary event in Brisbane in two weeks, with the aim of promoting the province as a holiday destination and to provide opportunities for the musicians.

One of the organisers, Siwi Aipe, says they're approaching politicians and leading businesses for the nearly 300 thousand US dollars needed for air fares and expenses, but haven't raised any money yet.

He says the Tourism Office hopes sending the troupe around the world will be the start of something big.

"We'll provide an avenue for Bougainvillean musicians, especially, to travel to other parts of the world. Apart from providing marketing and promoting [for] Bougainville, they will providing music as an income."

Bougainville Tourism official Siwi Aipe