The newly appointed Papua New Guinea Minister for Tourism and Culture Justin Tkatchenko has condemned the assault on a foreign couple by suspects who were trekking the Kokoda Track on Monday.
He says the couple were held up by suspects along the track and taken to the nearby bush were they physically assaulted the British husband and sexually assaulted his American wife.
He says it come down to the people of PNG to make tourism work for the country and such incidents are contrary to what is expected. We have to look after our guests who come to our country for business or pleasure. He says when few people who offend visitors it spoils the opportunities that lies therein in the tourism industry to grow and it will take time to fix the image of the country.