Visa-on-Arrival for Japanese Travelers: Papua New Guinea’s Strategic Move to Attract More Tourists

Published on December 3, 2025

Papua New Guinea (PNG) has implemented a visa-on-arrival policy for holders of Japanese passports. This new policy represents a new era in PNG’s tourism policy strategy. International Trade and Investment Minister Richard Maru announced that this policy has begun on September 2025 and is the first of its kind for PNG. This policy is aimed at enhancing PNG tourism and accessibility to the Japanese population while fostering PNG and Japan’s cultural and economic relationships.

Like all visa-on-arrival frameworks for other countries, this policy will facilitate travel for Japanese tourists. Japanese tourists can travel to PNG without applying for a visa beforehand. This will ease travel for business and leisure purposes. This policy will solidify the economic relationship of PNG and Japan and provide PNG with more opportunities to broaden its tourism markets.

Travellers are able to experience the unique and diverse ecosystems, beautiful scenery and rich cultural heritage of Papua New Guinea (PNG). Travelling to unexplored PNG to experience the diverse revered and indigenous cultures is a growing trend within the travelling community. PNG is a growing travel hotspot within the Pacific region. PNG is doing its utmost to be a part of the Global Tourism Industry. The PNG’s Visa-on-Arrival initiative aligns with the PNG’s priority to become a part of the Global Tourism Industry.

Visa-on-Arrival Scheme Impact

The PNG Government’s decision to provide Visa-on-Arrival access to Japan is part of PNG’s “Go Beyond” Campaign to attract visitors in tourism “hot” markets such as Japan. Japan is historically a big generator of travel to the Pacific Islands, and is expected to be a dominant source of travel to PNG with the initiative. PNG achieving its tourism objectives is suitable given Japan’s developed travel systems, its focus in tourism, and to a lesser extent, its growing number of travellers.

The announced changes to the visa policy are specifically geared towards Japanese tourists traveling to Papua New Guinea (PNG) for the first time offering unprecedented opportunities. This policy change now permits Japanese tourists to take advantage of PNG’s unrivaled and world renowned scuba diving locations, wildlife, and heritage, and take part in PNG’s colonial and cultural festivities. Additionally, Japanese tourists who practice eco-friendly tourism will be drawn to PNG’s efforts in conservation and will be eager to appreciate PNG’s diversity in flora and fauna.

Japanese visitors will now have the opportunity to access and explore some of PNG’s iconic attractions, which includes Port Moresby, the Kokoda Trail, and the Tufi Fjords, which has a strong tourism following. Kokoda and the battles fought over it during World War II have strong cultural and historic significance for both Australians and the Japanese, creating additional tourism opportunities and interactions. Kokoda has a steady flow of hikers and tourists, and the introduction of visa on arrival will encourage people to visit and access Kokoda’s historical significance, which in turn will enhance tourism opportunities.

Apart from being rich in biodiversity, PNG is also the custodian of a rich and diverse cultural heritage, which attracts tourists from across the globe. PNG is culturally unique, with a multitude of indigenous communities and languages, and this could benefit Japanese tourists as it introduces them to diverse experiences, traditional dance and music, and a plethora of unique calendar events. Japanese tourists’ cultural engagements and opportunities to learn traditional art and crafts will enhance the PNG experience and motivate them further to travel to PNG.

Economic and Tourism Growth Possible

Visa-on-arrival will also bring in the economic benefits to PNG. With Japanese travelers visiting PNG more often, there will be more requests for tourism services, including accommodation, guided tours, transport/transportation, and hospitality. Increased tourism will also help local businesses weather sales downturns. There will be job creation and growing the country’s tourism-related infrastructure.

PNG has been trying to grow its tourism sector, which is a small and underdeveloped yet promising sector for economic diversification. The country’s government has been trying to develop tourism-related infrastructure, improve the country’s air connectivity, and practice sustainable tourism. Adding Japan to its growing list of tourism-friendly countries will help PNG even more in the world stage.

With the Japanese travel market, the easing of travel restrictions would help encourage more travelers to consider PNG for a holiday. It is relatively close to Japan and there are direct flights available to and from many major cities, including Tokyo, making it a suitable destination for both short and long stays. Access is very important for Japanese tourists and travelers for a destination and because of the distance, it has to be a country they haven’t been to. Before a traveler visits Japan, they will have been to many countries and have had many experiences. Often travellers from Japan are looking for new and authentic destinations.

Strategic Partnerships and Prospective Outcomes

With the introduction of visa-on-arrival policies, there will likely be greater collaboration between the tourism departments of PNG and Japan. PNG will subsequently be the focus of joint advertising campaigns, marketing efforts, and cultural exchange programs. Partnerships between tour operators, airlines, and travel agencies will be crucial in providing Japanese travelers to PNG with an optimized travel experience.

PNG is positioning itself as a proactive player in the international tourism marketplace, and the country is working to position itself as a safe, enticing, and appealing tourist destination for travelers from Japan, as well as travelers from other countries, as international borders continue to open and the tourism industry rebounds.

Conclusion

In summary, Papua New Guinea’s (PNG) unprecedented move to offer visa-on-arrival access to tourists from Japan is the first step in the evolution of the PNG tourism industry. PNG is now able to attract even more tourists from Japan, with the expansion of economic tourism partnership. This also places PNG as a stronger competitor in the tourism market in the Pacific region. For the Japan and PNG, the tourism visa partnership provides new framework to promote tourism and stimulate new tourism-related economic activities in the both countries.