Atif hopes new visa policy to boost KP tourism

PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Senior Minister Muhammad Atif Khan on Monday met Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi and discussed with him the new visa policy to boost tourism in the province.

“The new visa policy will play an instrumental role in promoting tourism and attracting foreigners to the scenic sites of Pakistan, particularly Khyber Pakhtunkhwa,” the senior minister said, adding that new five ski resorts would be set up to promote the game and tourism as well.

He told the foreign minister that 20 new tourist sites had been identified, which were being rehabilitated with modern facilities for the tourists.

The senior minister said the visitors from 50 countries would get visa-on-arrival while citizens of 175 countries would be issued e-visa to facilitate them.

Shah Mehmood Qureshi said that foreign embassies and missions would be taken into confidence on the new visa regime to play a proactive role in boosting tourism and investment.

He shed light on some of the salient features of the new visa regime that has been formulated in consultations with all the stakeholders. Apart from granting on-arrival visas and e-visas for various countries, other eminent features of the visa regime entail the provision of business visa of 68 to 96 countries.

The approved tour operators would be allowed to bring tourist groups to Pakistan.A revised list of the prohibited areas is also to be announced under the new visa policy, he added.