Collaboration with Beijing to boost local tourism

Official reveals Islamabad has introduced package of initiatives to promote industry

ISLAMABAD:

Pakistan is one of those countries in the world that are blessed with a diverse inventory of tourism attractions. It is based on the picturesque endowments of natural landscape and features biodiversity and rich culture and heritage.

The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is opening hundreds of new investment opportunities across the country. This was stated by the Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation (PTDC) Managing Director Aftabur Rehman Rana in an online consultative B2B (business-to-business) webinar between tour operators of Pakistan and China.

The two nations have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to promote tourism under which, both sides can collaborate to develop the industry and lift it to new heights.

He further underlined that the government has introduced a package of initiatives to promote tourism in Pakistan including formation of National Tourism Coordination Board, introduction of e-visa facility for 191 countries, opening of Skardu airport in Gilgit-Baltistan for international flights and enhancing domestic flight operations.

According to the data from the Department of Archaeology and Museum, government of Pakistan, the total number of visits to cultural sites in Pakistan from 2014 to 2018 increased sharply. Out of the total figures, 96% share was occupied by domestic tourists while the remaining 4% comprised foreign travellers.

Based on the huge advantages, Pakistan is offering recreation, adventure, cultural, religious, sports and educational tourisms and much more.

On the occasion, Pakistani Embassy at Beijing Second Secretary Zulfiqar Ali underlined that Pakistan has unique natural and cultural conditions to attract Chinese tourists.

The rural, adventure and cultural tourisms, that young people from China love, can be satisfied here. He also maintained that China’s tourism industry had undergone a huge transformation.

Two elements are very important for developing tourism and they are introduction of online portals and the participation in tourism exposure.

Many festivals occur every year in China and it is necessary for Pakistan to become a part of these festivals.

Around 30 tourism operators from Pakistan and China attended the webinar and gave presentations.

THE ARTICLE ORIGINALLY APPEARED ON THE CHINA ECONOMIC NET

 

Published in The Express Tribune, March 6^th, 2022.

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