NCOC directs provinces to devise guidelines for managing tourism

ISLAMABAD: The National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) has directed the provinces to devise guidelines for managing tourism to contain the coronavirus outbreak.

Directives were given in the NCOC meeting chaired by Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Asad Umar in Islamabad on Saturday.

The meeting discussed opening up of tourism sector with standard operating procedures and safety guidelines for containment of disease.

The forum highlighted that violations of SOPs have been observed at almost all tourist destination and emphasized that, if tourism not managed well, it might create a pandemic outbreak.

On Thursday, Planning and Development Minister Asad Umar had said that government has decided to reopen dine-in restaurants, cafes, cinemas and gyms from August 10 after a closure of nearly five months due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Speaking to the media after a meeting of the National Coordination Committee (NCC), Asad Umar said that all educational institutions across the country would reopen from September 15. “A Covid-19 situation would be reviewed on September 7 before reopening of schools,” he had added.