Training workshops arranged for travel agents

PESHAWAR: The Tourism Corporation Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (TCKP) in collaboration with the Pakistan-Austrian Institute of Tourism and Hotel Management (PAITHOM) and Travel Agents Association organised a 10-day training workshops for the travel agents of Peshawar and Hazara divisions.

The workshops were aimed at training the travel agents to professionally guide, help and provide valuable information to the tourists during their stay and visit to the scenic places in the province.

TCKP General Manager Sajjad Hameed was the chief guest on the occasion. PAITHOM In-charge Hurmat Yar Khan, Deputy Director Directorate of Tourists Services Muhammad Arabi, Travel Agents Association Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chairman Shamsher Ali and others were also present.

Thirty four travel agents attended workshop in Peshawar while 88 travel agents received training at Hazara division.

They were imparted training on providing information to the tourists about their travelling, places of visit, routes, accommodation and security.

Speaking on the occasion, TCKP General Manager Sajjad Hameed said that travel agents were playing a vital role in the promotion of tourism and that they were part of the initiative taken by the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government to attract more tourists to the province.

He said that 70 more such workshops would be organised in Hazara division for travel agents to build their capacity and skills so they could better facilitate the visiting tourists in the province. “The Tourism Department will support the travel agents in their endeavours to facilitate tourists to boost tourism in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa,” the official said, adding that 75 percent of tourist destinations, archaeological and heritage sites and Buddhism ruins of the country were existed in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. He said that they could attract the followers of Buddhism and enthusiasts of adventure tourism to the province.

He added that the department had taken tangible steps for boosting archaeological, adventure, religious and cultural tourism to attract more foreign and domestic tourists.