IHG Hotels & Resorts has signed its first InterContinental property in Papua New Guinea, partnering with Gulf Province Properties Limited to develop a 179-room luxury hotel in the heart of Port Moresby’s diplomatic quarter. InterContinental Port Moresby is scheduled to open in late 2028.
The announcement, made on 12 February, positions the British hotel group as the most diversified international operator in the country. The property will be its fourth in PNG, joining the existing Holiday Inn, Holiday Inn Express and Crowne Plaza Residences – and its first to operate under a luxury brand.
InterContinental Port Moresby will anchor a mixed-use development located adjacent to the National Parliament House, the Supreme and National Court and several foreign embassies. The precinct will combine the hotel with approximately 6,000 square metres of commercial office space, creating what IHG describes as a new commercial and social hub for the capital.
The hotel will feature an all-day dining restaurant, a specialty restaurant, lobby lounge and pool bar, alongside more than 600 square metres of meeting and event space. A Club Lounge, fitness centre and outdoor pool complete the offering – a configuration designed to serve the visiting dignitaries, corporate travellers and government officials that flow through the diplomatic district.
Gulf Province Properties Limited, a subsidiary of the Gulf Investment Trust Fund, is the development partner. Sir Chris Haiveta, Governor of Gulf Province and chairman of GPPL, described the signing as “a proud moment” for the province and the nation, adding that the hotel would welcome guests “in a true Melanesian spirit.”
Matt Tripolone, IHG’s managing director for Australasia and the Pacific, framed the timing as deliberate. “Papua New Guinea’s capital is entering an exciting new era of growth, underpinned by large-scale LNG investments as well as the forthcoming launch of the country’s first NRL team in 2028,” he said.
Both catalysts are significant. The TotalEnergies-led Papua LNG project, valued at approximately $10 billion, is expected to reach a final investment decision this year, with the potential to generate substantial foreign direct investment and workforce demand. Separately, the PNG Chiefs – the country’s inaugural National Rugby League franchise – will debut in the 2028 season, backed by A$600 million in Australian government funding. The team’s entry is expected to drive a surge in international visitor traffic and media attention.
Papua New Guinea’s economy grew by an estimated 4.7% in 2025, according to World Bank projections, supported by the Porgera gold mine’s reopening, stable LNG production and strong agricultural exports. The Asian Development Bank forecasts continued expansion, albeit at a moderated pace of around 3.5% in 2026.
Tourism figures remain modest but are trending upward. The country welcomed approximately 140,000 international visitors in 2024, with the first half of 2025 recording 53,379 arrivals – a 10% increase on the same period the prior year. Business travel accounts for nearly half of all arrivals, underscoring Port Moresby’s role as a corporate and government hub rather than a leisure destination.
The luxury hotel market in Port Moresby is thin. Hilton currently operates the most prominent international-branded property – the 212-room Hilton Port Moresby, which opened within the Star Mountain Plaza development. Marriott Executive Apartments launched at the Harbourside South precinct in 2024. A Radisson Blu resort and residences has been announced for the planned Paga Hill tourism district, though its timeline remains unclear.
InterContinental Port Moresby will compete directly with the Hilton for the diplomatic and corporate segment, with IHG’s established loyalty programme, IHG One Rewards – which now exceeds 145 million members – providing an advantage among frequent business travellers.
The signing extends IHG’s broader push to grow its Luxury & Lifestyle portfolio across the Australasia Pacific region. The group has moved aggressively in the past 12 months, converting three Australian Crowne Plaza properties to the InterContinental brand, launching InterContinental Brisbane and signing InterContinental Barossa Resort & Spa for a 2028 opening. Across the region, IHG now operates 22 Luxury & Lifestyle hotels with nine more in the pipeline.
For senior HR leaders and workforce strategists, the Port Moresby project carries implications beyond the property itself. A new luxury hotel in a market with limited international hospitality infrastructure will require skilled recruitment across multiple disciplines – from food and beverage specialists to events management and Club Lounge operations – in a country where hospitality training pathways are still developing. The convergence of the InterContinental opening with the NRL franchise launch in 2028 will intensify competition for service-sector talent across the capital.
No construction timeline or investment figure has been disclosed for the project.
