PORT MORESBY, Papua New Guinea -- A colonial construct of some 600 tribes occupying the eastern half of the largest island in Asia, Papua New Guinea is an almost mythical place where even the regular appearance of mist is considered an omen from the spirits.
It also has a law-and-order deficit. Reports about tribal warfare, witch burnings and highway robbers pepper PNG's television news and, for many, deter tourism. In 2023, only 140,000 foreigners visited the country, according to the Tourism Promotion Authority of PNG -- fewer than Thailand's visitor total every two days.
