By Emily Goddard

Tura the Kokomo is starting a tour of Papua New Guinea ahead of next year's Pacific Games ©Papua New Guinea 2015Tura the Kokomo, the official mascot for the 2015 Pacific Games in Port Moresby, has begun his tour of every province across Papua New Guinea to spread the excitement next year's event.

The hornbill has already met people in the National Capital District, Kokopo, Rabaul and Tabubil and will visit the rest of the nation over the next four months, giving people a chance to meet the mascot and share the Games experience.

"These Games belong to all Papua New Guineans and we want the Games to touch everyone across this country," Clint Flood, the chief executive of Papua New Guinea 2015, said.

Organising Committee marketing executive manager Ken Siminji, who will be leading the team across the country, explained that the tour will also be used to put in place nationwide events to coincide with next year's Pacific Games.

Tura the Kokomo is spreading the message of the 2015 Pacific Games ©Papua New Guinea 2015Tura the Kokomo is spreading the message of the 2015 Pacific Games ©Papua New Guinea 2015



"Tura as our ambassador will help build the excitement of the Games," he added.

"On this tour we will visit provincial Governors and administrators to discuss the possibility of setting up live sites in major towns during Games time and to facilitate the Games Relay as it goes though Papua New Guinean in the three months leading up to the Opening Ceremony on July 4, 2015."

Tura and the team will leave for Manus Province tomorrow for a two-day stop off, during which he will also visit the Manus Provincial Games.

The mascot will then travel to New Ireland Province at the end of this month.

Further details of the tour can be found here.

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