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Friday July 18, 2025

Punjab unveils first-of-its-kind ecotourism project

Cost of projects is up to Rs7bn and it is developed in accordance with Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) criteria

By Asif Mehmood Butt
June 21, 2025
Tourists seen at a tourist site. — The News/File
Tourists seen at a tourist site. — The News/File 

LAHORE: The Punjab government has launched a comprehensive ecotourism initiative under the leadership of the Punjab Forest Wildlife and Fisheries Department.

The cost of projects is up to Rs7 billion and it is developed in accordance with the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) criteria. The project marks the country’s first structured and policy-driven effort to promote environmentally responsible, culturally enriching, and community-inclusive tourism. The first-of-its-kind initiative integrates sustainable tourism, biodiversity conservation, and community uplift at three ecologically rich sites across Punjab: Changa Manga forest reserve near Lahore, Uchali Wetland Complex in the Salt Range, and Chashma Lake in Mianwali.