TDCP moves to attract investment

Tourism policy aims at encouraging public-private partnership

LAHORE:

To set aside the negative effects of the Covid-19 pandemic on the provincial economy, Punjab government has decided to develop new tourist destinations and revamp existing infrastructure through public-private partnership as per the province’s first tourism policy.

Speaking to The Express Tribune on Sunday, Tourism Development Corporation of Punjab (TDCP) Managing Director Muhammad Tanveer Jabbar highlighted that the organisation had initiated steps to implement the Punjab Tourism Policy 2019, which envisaged encouraging the private sector to invest in the sector.

He pointed out that it was for the first time in Punjab that the government had decided to lease out tourist sites and infrastructure to private sector for 20 years. Earlier, the sites and projects were leased out for five years. This resulted in lack of interest by reputed companies in the tourism sector and the infrastructure could not be developed.

“The corporation and the government will have a regulatory role in promotion and development of the tourism sector. Contrary to past practice, now no individual can take tourist sites or infrastructure on lease through influence. They should have to show a track record of similar experience and a workable business plan,” the official added.

Tourism, pandemic and sustainability

Recently, the corporation had leased out two sites – the TDCP Khajot stopover facility on Murree Expressway and the TDCP Motel, Nankana Sahib – to companies that were leaders in their sectors and operating service areas along the motorway and hotels across the country, he said. “Leasing of tourism sites and infrastructure will dramatically improve service quality and enhance revenue,” he maintained.

Responding to a question, Jabbar said the Murree chairlift and cable car were the two main revenue sources of the corporation. With automation of ticketing and visitors’ headcount, the revenue from the sites had almost doubled, he added.

The corporation has also initiated tendering process to lease out land at Patriata base, mid and top stations; TDCP Restaurant, Patriata; TDCP stopovers at Murree base and top stations; TDCP Resort Lal Sohanra, Bahawalpur; TDCP Resort Jallo Park, Lahore; Charehan Rest House, Murree; Kallar Kahar Resort, Restaurant and parking; Kanhatti Resort, Camping Site and Tuck Shop and Khabeki Restaurant, public washrooms and kiosk for tourism activities.

The corporation has also floated a tender for development, implementation and support of e-ticketing, queue management and access control system at its recreational sites on a turnkey basis. The digitialisation would help the corporation to improve service and enhance transparency in operations, Jabbar underlined and added that besides local parties, foreign companies had also expressed their interest in investing in the tourism sector of Pakistan. He, however, indicated that the procedure for foreign investors was a bit cumbersome.

Tender documents show that the facilities will be leased for 20 years, which can be extended for a similar term on the basis of satisfactory performance. The lease amount may be negotiated for the second term while keeping in view the market trends but must not be less than the one being paid by the lessee at the time of expiry plus a 10% annual increase.

The corporation would inspect the sites on a monthly basis to ascertain whether the operations are being conducted in accordance with its directives. The officer concerned would issue a certificate if he is satisfied with the operations. In case the officer is not satisfied, he would give a seven-day notice to remove the deficiencies. If the issue is not addressed, he would report the matter to the senior management, which would constitute a team for inspection.

Dissatisfactory performance for more than two months in a year would be a valid ground for initiating the process of termination of contract. The basic purpose of the lease is promotion of tourism and the lessee can’t deviate from it.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 24^th, 2020.