Peace helped bring more tourists to Pakistan

PTDC plans interprovincial coordination on tourism marketing

ISLAMABAD: With tourism bearing the brunt of an attack on 10 mountaineers at the base of Nanga Parbat  - the ninth highest mountain in the world - around four years ago, improvement in law and order since has helped bring visitors back to the country.

This was stated by Federal Minister for Education and Technical Training Engineer Balighur Rehman while addressing a seminar on World Tourism Day on “Sustainable Tourism- a tool for development and photo exhibition”. The seminar and accompanying photographic exhibition had been organised by the Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation (PTDC) in Rawalpindi on Wednesday.



“The improved law and order situation in the country has certainly paved the way for positive changes to come, including a healthy influx of international visitors to Pakistan,” Rehman said.

The minister said that the government was committed to facilitating tourists and for promoting the tourism industry by improving infrastructure and facilities. He explained that boosting tourism would not only help revive the economy but also remove misperceptions about the country.

He noted that said this year’s UN World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) theme for World Tourism Day - “Sustainable Tourism – A Tool for Development” was the appropriate theme for Pakistan. He highlighted that the theme had gained greater significance owing to the fact that Pakistan and China were developing the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

“There are no two views on the importance of sustainable development of the tourism industry as a major source of foreign exchange earner, a tool for job creation and poverty alleviation and above all creating harmony among people from different parts of the country. Its ability to sustain even the poorest on the economic ladder,” Rehman said.

He added that the government was also working on reviving the PTDC as a national tourism organisation.

Identifying the new role for PTDC, he said that the corporation would focus on interprovincial coordination in tourism marketing at the national and the international level, tourism planning and policy-making, and even tourism market research.



“With these efforts, I give you my word that Pakistan will appear as the brightest star of tourism in the world,” the minister said enthusiastically.

Talking about developments in tourism, he said that PTDC motels were being upgraded, while new vehicles had been inducted in the fleet. Moreover, projects such as the Aiwan-e-Sayyahat are being constructed in the capital.

“To promote domestic tourism, we are introducing water sports in Islamabad, Tarbela and Khanpur lakes. Promotion of religious tourism is also in focus, which can bring a large number of devotees of Buddhism, Sikhism and Hinduism from all over the world,” he disclosed.

“We have approached international tourism organisations such as the UNWTO and the Pacific Asia Travel Association to support us by relaxing the negative travel advisories from western countries,” he added.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 28^th, 2017.