KP govt to celebrate Tirich Mir festivals

PESHAWAR: The provincial government on Thursday tasked the Culture and Tourism Authority (KPCTA) to take proper steps for celebrating the annual Tirich Mir Festival and the year 2024-25 as the year of Tirich Mir, the highest peak of the province.

The decision was taken in a meeting on tourism promotion under the chairmanship of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa CM’s Advisor on Tourism and Culture Zahid Chanzeb.

Besides KPCTA Director General Barkatullah Marwat, General Manager Planning and Marketing Muhammad Ali Syed and General Manager Tourism Sajjad Hamee, the meeting was also attended by tour operators and tourism stakeholders from serene areas of KP.

The participants while welcoming the decision of the provincial government termed it as a milestone initiative for the development of tourism and assured their full cooperation in making this extravaganza the most successful feature of the province.

It was also decided in the meeting to waive off the mountaineering royalty and trekking fee for the year 2024-25 and include Tirich Mir Mountain in the tourism symbols of the province. Tirich Mir Peak would now also be a tourism symbol of KP in future.

It was also decided that international mountaineers will be invited to climb the Tirich Mir Peak, while the next meeting will be held in Chitral instead of Peshawar and then at other tourist district headquarters.

The tourism industry stakeholders apprised the advisor of their problems and difficulties.Zahid Chanzeb listened to their grievances and assured them of its redressal on priority basis. He also assured all the stakeholders of full cooperation in the efficient delivery of tourism services.

He acknowledge the pivotal role of tour operators and all other stakeholders in the development of tourism and the provincial government would leave no stone unturned to encourage them at all levels.