Diplomats asked to promote Pakistan’s tourism sector

ICCI chief says sector gives quickest returns, can help alleviate poverty

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI) on Friday called on Pakistani diplomats to play a role in promoting the country's tourism potential in their host nations as Pakistan has immense potential to attract tourists from around the world.

"The tourism industry has the ability to create plenty of jobs, which can help alleviate poverty and contribute to economic development of a country," said ICCI President Khalid Iqbal Malik in a statement.

He pointed out that Pakistan had places in northern areas, Azad Kashmir, Lahore, Mohenjo Daro, Thatta and many others that were ranked among the best in the world for tourism. However, the country is still unexplored due to which it has not yet realised its full economic potential.

Tourism had emerged as a leading industry in the world with its contribution to global economy at $7.6 trillion and tourism revenue of $1.26 trillion in 2016, said Malik.

Tourism was contributing 10% of global gross domestic product (GDP) and 6% of the world's total exports, but unfortunately no serious efforts had been made in Pakistan to exploit huge opportunities for economic development, he added.

He said the law and order situation in tourist destinations had considerably improved and urged Pakistani diplomats to develop brochures and publicity material on tourist resorts for display in their missions.

He also suggested distributing the material among key stakeholders in host countries for better marketing of Pakistan's tourism industry.

The ICCI president emphasised that tourism was the industry that offered quickest returns on investment compared to other industries that took years before generating profits and the government should give priority to the development of the tourism sector.

More than a billion tourists now travel around the world each year, which has made tourism a vital area that helps improve poverty and promote growth.

Malik appreciated the initiative of Pakistan's High Commission in Britain for promoting the country through London's iconic red double-decker buses under the theme of 'Emerging Pakistan'.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 1^st, 2017.

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