PESHAWAR: Chief Minister Mahmood Khan on Friday termed the tourism sector as the backbone for economic stability and said that the provincial government had initiated multiple development projects alongside necessary legislation to make the tourism sector as an industry.
Through a statement, the chief minister said that substantial investment had been made with the sole purpose to provide state-of-the-art facilities to national and international tourists and create livelihood opportunities for local people in the last four years.
Mahmood Khan stated that the provincial government was going all-out to promote tourism activities in the province, adding that development projects coupled with institutional and legal framework have ensured substantial progress in attracting national and international tourists to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
“The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Culture and Tourism Authority has been established in order to promote, preserve and revive our traditional, cultural & religious heritage and to regulate tourism in the province,” he remarked.
He said numerous steps had been taken for the development of the tourism sector including establishment of special purpose development authorities for Kumrat, Kalash valleys and upper Swat with the aim to boost tourism activities at local level. Similarly, KP Tourism Police had been introduced to facilitate tourists and ensure their security, he added.
In order to provide facilities and attract national and foreign tourists to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, he said, a project for the establishment of Ghanool, Mankyal and Madaklasht integrated Tourism zones was in pipeline which is the first of its kind initiative of the provincial government. Furthermore, camping pods have been installed at 11 different tourists’ sites while establishment of camping pods at 10 other sites is also underway. In order to provide a legal framework for the development of the tourism sector on a sustainable basis, legislations have been carried out including KP Tourism Act 2019, KP Government Rest Houses and Tourism properties (Development, Management and Regulation) Act 2020 and others.