Pakistan emerging as attractive destination on int'l tourism map: PM Imran

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Thursday said that Pakistan is emerging as an attractive destination on the international tourism map owing to its beautiful natural landscape, ARY News reported.

Presiding over a high-level meeting on promotion of tourism in Islamabad, PM Imran directed to develop the tourist infrastructure and services while keeping in mind the preferences and priorities of tourist groups from different parts of the world and adherence to ecotourism principles.

In a statement issued by his office, PM Imran said, “We must strive to capitalize this potential through expediting the infrastructure development, provision of services and facilitation.”

Pakistan has diverse and rich tourism potential in terms of mountain tourism, adventure tourism, desert tourism and religious tourism, he added.

Highlighting the potential of religious tourism in Punjab and parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the prime minister directed that all the forms of tourism in the country must be focused simultaneously.

He said that the government rest houses have been built on tax payers money; these properties should be a source of income instead of lying useless.

It was reiterated that there should be a single authority to supervise the restoration and renovation of the existing tourist infrastructure in the country.

PM Imran stressed on the need for an effective coordination among all the departments at the federal and provincial levels to fully capitalize the tourist potential of the country.

He recalled that international investors from different parts of the world have expressed keen interest for investment in the development of tourism sector of Pakistan.

The prime minister noted that Switzerland, Turkey and Malaysia have been earning huge revenue from the tourism industry.

PM Imran directed to expedite the legislative framework and fastrack the development of tourist infrastructure and services across the length and breadth of the country.

The meeting was informed that efforts are being undertaken to hold an international tourism conference in Pakistan in the coming years to further broaden the scope of tourism industry in Pakistan.

The meeting was attended by Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar, KP CM Mehmood Khan, SAPM on Overseas Pakistanis & Human Resource Development Sayed Zulfiqar Abbas Bukhari and others.