A group of travel industry members recently returned from Papua New Guinea where they experienced the inaugural Baining Fire Dance Festival with Intrepid and learnt why undertourism is worth taking notice of.
Travel industry members from Back Track Adventures, TravelManagers, Travel Associates, Peregrine and Travel Monitor were chosen to travel with Intrepid to Papua New Guinea to learn more about the offering and what makes Papua New Guinea a destination that defines undertourism.
Intrepid has always promoted positive and meaningful exchanges between travellers and the local places and people they visit. With a focus on respecting different cultures and respecting local religions, religious places and rituals, Intrepid have continued this philosophy into Papua New Guinea.
Papua New Guinea was a destination that ranked on the second annual Intrepid Adventure Travel Index for undertourism. The report ranked destinations with the lowest tourism density ratio, by comparing the number of tourists to locals in each destination using 2018 figures. Papua New Guinea’s Tourism Density Ratio is 2.75 percent.
“As concerns with the impact of overtourism grow, we believe the concept of undertourism will become more relevant. Particularly as responsible travellers opt to spend their dollars wisely in economies where their holiday can provide positive benefits to the communities they visit,” the report states.
The Papua New Guinea Firedance Festival tour is the third tour offered by Intrepid in Papua New Guinea, adding to the Kokoda Trek and National Mask Festival. However, with very limited departures per year, this is a niche trip with small group numbers. It’s perfect for those interested in tribal cultures, war history, village life or volcanic landscapes – or who simply love to take the path less travelled.
Experiencing the first ever Intrepid Firedance Festival tour, Maria Pandalai from TravelManagers told Travel Monitor, “someone once said to me, when you go to PNG, expect the unexpected. And they were right.”
“The inaugural Firedance Festival was out of this world. So much culture, so much unity and overall wow factor. Added with a humble village stay, idyllic dolphin viewing, fascinating volcano, moving war history and swimming in turquoise waters, made for an overall unique travel experience.”
Annalisa Virduzzo, Tours Sales and Reservations at Back Track Adventures said she was blown away by the experience and country as a whole.
“From the pristine waters to the gorgeous tropical jungle, the natural beauty of the area is simply breathtaking, but the highlight of my experience in East New Britain was the people we met along the way.”
“The local community made us feel incredibly welcome, wanting to learn about us and teach us about their culture. There wasn’t a moment where I felt unsafe of uncomfortable, Papua New Guinea is truly a place to fall in love with,” Annalisa added.
Intrepid Destination Manager – Australia & Oceania, Yolli Rado said “we’re passionate about responsible travel (Intrepid became a BCorp in 2018) and we believe travel should have a positive impact on the places we visit. Intrepid’s Papua New Guinea trips are all locally operated, which means they contribute to local employment opportunities and support the local economy.”
“As part of the Firedance Festival experience, travellers not only watch and learn about the dances, they also have the chance to meet and talk with local people taking part and get really immersed in the action. To ensure the Fire Dance Festival continues to be a sustainable celebration for local people, and is not overcome with international visitors, there will be a limit imposed on tourist numbers each year – a move which we support.”
