PNG hopes APEC boosts tourism

Papua New Guinea's trade minister is hopeful a major tourism boost will stem from hosting the APEC leaders summit this year.

The Asia Pacific Economic Corporation leaders meeting will be held in Port Moresby in November, but trade ministers are getting together this weekend to lay some groundwork.

PNG's Rimbink Pato said he hopes the summit will have an ongoing legacy and boost tourist numbers in the country.

"The benefit of APEC is that people will at least know where Papua New Guinea is," Mr Pato said in a social media video.

Australian Assistant Trade Minister Mark Coulton is in Port Moresby for the talks, as is New Zealand parliamentary under-secretary Fletcher Tabuteau.

Australia has chipped in close to $120 million towards PNG hosting APEC, with assistance covering cybersecurity, policing and firefighting.

There's been some criticism that PNG won't be ready to host the summit.

PNG government coffers are struggling following a downturn in global commodity prices and the failure of an LNG project to deliver a promised economic boom.

Some remote villages are still in recovery mode after a deadly earthquake hit the PNG highlands in February.

Alongside Australia and New Zealand, APEC also covers the likes of Canada, China, Japan, Mexico, Russia and the United States.