WHEN VISITING NIPA . . .

 

Owner Felix Orep and his faithful dog in the garden of the resort.

WELCOME TO THE PURIL GUEST HOUSE

 
BY JEFFREY ELAPA

A primary school teacher in the Southern Highlands had invested in the tourism and hospitality sector to make a difference for his family and his community.

After almost 30 years of operation, Felix Orep, the owner of the Puril Guest House near Nipa station, Nipa-Kutubu district of the Southern Highlands is a happy man.

A former primary school teacher, Orep saw life as difficult when working for one source of income.

With many children growing up, the needs were huge and it was forever growing, so he decided to look at other alternate sources to improve the standard of living for his wife and children.

As always, there was always the inevitable community and cultural obligations and school fees for his children.

Orep decided to sacrifice and used his little serving to start up a PMV truck business and small canteen in his village in 1993 and continued to operate the business for the next 10 years.

Motivated by few hectares of undisturbed bush at the back of his store, and the high number of visitors flooding into Nipa and looking for a decent guest house to stay, Orep decided to diversify his PMV and trade store business and venture into the tourism and hospitality industry by converting his canteen into a 5-room guest house.

Not knowing the exact future, the Puril Guest House, situated along the Highlands highway near Puril United Church Headquarter outside Nipa station was opened to the public in 2003.

His business started to improve slowly with more guest visiting and staying at his small guest house but he his luck came when ExxonMobil decided to establish an alternate laydown camp in Nipa during the construction phase of the PNG LNG project between 2008-2010.

Employees of ExxonMobil and its contractors used his area on a long-term basis and he was making some good money in the two-year period.

A guest heading to his room.

This was the busiest moment of his business so he employed more people from the local community. The need for vegetables and other food crops also increased, making an upturn in the local economy.

While the PNG LNG project had a big impact on his business, the unfortunate decision of ExxonMobil to leave in 2010 had a great effect on his business.
All his dream were scattered, as his client base dropped and he was making less money.

Despite ExxonMobil’s decision to leave, he was hopeful that his decision to tap into the sustainable SME space was the best options as people would continue to travel up and down the highway and overnight there.

He did not give up, he continued to reinvest in the business using the revenues received in the first 7 years of operation. He built two more houses and increased the number of rooms to cater for the expected increase in number of guests.

He also included a conference room, a kitchen and few Haus Win (rest house) and beautified the area, making it lovely for his guests to stay and enjoy.
As the saying goes, when one door closes, another door opens, and true enough, ExxonMobil provided another business opportunity for him.

It arranged for him to take care of the Members of the PNG Defence Force soldiers engaged in Operation Vogos.

The Puril Guest House became the operation command center of the PNGDF to monitor ExxonMobil’s vehicles and equipment moving in and out of Kutubu and Hides.

This time his lovely wife Janet resigned as a teacher and joined her husband to manage the family business.

Under her watch, another five self-contained executive rooms were added to the existing 6 twin rooms and 10 single rooms, bring the number of rooms to 21, all installed with hot water system.

The rate for the executive room is K200 per night while the standard rooms with common shared shower and toilet facilities are K150 per night. It can take up to 40 guests at a time while the conference and training facilities can take up to 20 people at time. (prices as at November 2023).

The executive rooms offer comfort and safety and warmth during cool nights.

The guest house also provides printing and stationary services for the guest.

Seeing the need, Janet decided to add another four-unit facility. This facility is designed as a flat (unit), installed with all white goods to be used by working-class families that come to work in the district headquarters on a long-term basis.

As all businesses operate on a client basis, his business also slowed down with the completion of the PNGLNG project, and the client bases also started to decline but the Oreps have not given up.

Guests continue to come and they include the Members of the PNG Royal Constabulary, the PNG Defence Force, education and health officials from the provincial and national headquarters, the International Committee of the Red Cross and other small organizations.

Looking back, Orep and his family took the time to thank all the people and the organizations that have been part of his journey and progress as their contribution has made a lot of impact in the lives of his family and his community.
 
He said the facility has not only improved his life but it had improved the economy base of the local community.

It had also assisted him in meeting some of his social and community obligations while almost a big portion of his revenue was reinvested in the education of his children, who are all employed now.

With the growth of the family business, Felix and Janet are self-employed and enjoying a good life and are providing employment for others.

Nipa is now experiencing an unprecedented change under the current leadership and the people have realized their past mistakes and they are moving away from the cash handout mentality and lawlessness in the district.

The district will not be the same, it is changing and next time you visit Nipa, call in at Puril Guest House for a quiet and peaceful stay.

For reservations, contact the manager- Janet Orep on 73222948 / 70642355 and email oreojanet@gmail.com for reservations.

 

Spacious conference facilities for your convenience for all groups.