4th tech valley conference: Tourism zone to prove milestone in uplift of sector, says Zulfi Bukhari

ABBOTTABAD: National Tourism Board (NTB) Chairman Zulfi Bukhari on Saturday said that establishment of tourism zone would prove a milestone in the development of tourism sector and attracting more tourists and visitors to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

"The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government is establishing tourism zone to promote sector across the province. It would be followed by Punjab, Sindh and Balochistan to get the desired results of digital and sustainable development in the tourism sector," said Zulfi Bukhari while speaking as chief guest at the 4th Tech Valley Conference 2019 here.

Senator Azam Swati, Minister for Communication and Information Technology Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, Gilgit-Baltistan Minister for Tourism Fida Khan, Tourism Corporation Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (TCKP) General Manager Sajjad Hameed, Tech Valley Abbottabad chief executive officer Umar Farooq, Hashoo Group chief marketing officer Lashley A. Pulsipher, World Bank private sector senior specialist Kiran Afzal, PTV World head Mirza Masood Baig, Galiyat Development Authority Director General Raza Ali Habib, representatives of private sector, social media bloggers and a large number of stakeholders attended the conference.

The NTB chairman hailed the KP government for taking tangible steps for the promotion of tourism and termed the engagement of private sector a positive initiative in that direction.

He said the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) previous government had done a lot for the promotion of tourism and development and rehabilitation of scenic places, including Galiyat, Malam Jabba and elsewhere. "With the establishment of tourism zone and tourism authority, the foreign tourists would be able to get all facilities under one-window operation," Zulfi Bukhari said.

Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui said that tourism and the latest technology were part and parcel to take the sector to the heights of development. He said it would become generating revenue sector for the government and the local populace by providing employment and business opportunities.

TCKP General Managing Sajjad Hameed said that the Tourism Department had joined hands with the private sector to promote tourism.

He said that work on the establishment of tourism zone had been initiated, which will pave the way for development of the sector.

Highlighting various projects, Sajjad Hameed said that adventure tourism and adventure sports activities were being organized in the province.

He said a project had already been completed for installation of camping pods in tourist resorts while Directorate of Tourist Service (DTS) had stared work across the province.