Government taking steps to promote digital tourism: minister

V-loggers, bloggers to be hired to project tourist destinations

LAHORE:

Punjab Minister for Youth Affairs, Sports, Archaeology and Tourism Rai Taimoor Khan has said that the provincial government has taken exemplary measures in embracing digital tourism to project the country’s tourism potential at the national and international levels while adopting effective and open policies in the sector.

He said the province has a multi-billion dollars tourism potential and is blessed with rich heritage.

To project the historical destinations of the province, the services of noted v-loggers and bloggers across the province would be acquired, so that the young generation could get awareness about their rich heritage and identity, the minister added.

Tourism Development Corporation of Punjab (TDCP) General Manager (Operations) Asim Raza said digital tourism had a potential to significantly contribute to the national economy, which had not only been identified by Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) government but also endorsed by international experts at various forums.

Through digital tourism, one can plan any short or long trip with the help of a mobile phone and a bank account with sufficient funds. Many online platforms provide digital support to travellers before, during and after the travel activity. Facebook, Whatsapp, Twitter and Instagram are effective social media services that can be used for quick dissemination of information and projection of Pakistan as a tourist-friendly country.

Digital tourism services could provide recommendations to find appropriate accommodation and help travellers plan the itinerary. An application installed on a phone serves as a mobile tour guide. The services can also have the capability to explore all the holiday photos the traveller took once he or she reaches home.

In the modern digital era, tourism has emerged as a source of foreign exchange and the fastest revenue generating industry across the world.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 20^th, 2020.