No information centres available for directing tourists

Lahore, a city renowned for its rich historical and cultural heritage, boasts numerous landmarks from various epochs, which attract tourists not only from across the country but also around the world. However, many visitors often encounter difficulties while navigating through the city due to the lack of tourist information centers providing accurate details about popular spots.

For instance, Vaniya Tahir a tourist from Quetta had visited Lahore with her family last week and had planned to explore the city’s historical sites, including Indo-Lahore and Shahi Qila. However, upon her arrival at the Lahore Railway Station, she realized that no information centres were available for guiding her on the transportation routes she could take to reach important historical sites.

Vaniya recounted that her family eventually visited relatives in Model Town, who were kind enough to offer some assistance. From there on, they used Google Maps to navigate to various historical places, which had been geo-tagged by the government.

Like Vaniya, many tourists visiting Lahore for the first time face similar challenges when planning an itinerary due to the lack of comprehensive information available for exploring the city’s historical heritage without the aid of a tour operator.

According to sources of the Express Tribune, three departments in Punjab are currently responsible for managing tourist sites. Among these the Tourism Development Corporation of Punjab (TDCP) is the most significant, but it does not supervise any sites in Lahore. The second department, Punjab Archaeology, oversees a few historical locations while the majority of the city's historical sites, particularly those in the inner city, fall under the jurisdiction of the Walled City of Lahore Authority.

“The government should establish information counters at key locations such as railway stations, airports, and bus terminals. Although information about prominent sites like the Shahi Qila, Minar-e-Pakistan, Shalimar Bagh, and Jahangir's Tomb is readily available to tourists, finding information about historical mansions and sites in northern Lahore and the inner city is challenging,” confirmed Jameel Raza, an official from the Tourism, Archaeology and Museums Department.

To add to the problem, the Tourist Information Centre established by the Tourism Development Corporation of Punjab (TDCP) is currently inactive in Lahore. Such centres, renamed as the Tourist Facilitation Centres (TFC), are only operational in Murree. Additionally, QR codes intended to provide information at historical sites are also not functioning.

According to TDCP officials over 600 information boards about important tourist attractions in Punjab, including Lahore, have been installed along major roads like the GT Road, with more boards being added as the process continues.

However, while speaking to the Express Tribune on the matter, the spokesperson for the Walled City of Lahore Authority conceded that there were currently no tourist information centres at entry points to the city like bus terminals, the Lahore Railway Station, and the Allama Iqbal International Airport.

“Discussions are ongoing with the airport authorities about establishing a tourist guide centre. The highway authority has installed sign boards for different cities and historical sites at the Canal Road, GT Road, and the Motorway. Additionally, tenders have been issued for installing large informational boards at various historical locations, including Shalimar Bagh, Shahi Fort, and Shahdara Complex. This initiative is being carried out within the constraints of the authority's budget. Furthermore, informational literature and maps about historical and tourist sites is available at the tourism department's offices,” informed the spokesperson.