National Tourism Strategy for 2020 on the cards

Islamabad: A ten-year road-map is in the offing to invigorate tourism industry which has been striving during several decades, to ensure maximum utilization of its huge resources for sustained economic growth, poverty alleviation and reduced social inequalities.

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf government, after coming into the power, had assigned this task to Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation (PTDC) to harness the sector’s potential under a multi-pronged strategy. The PTDC, moving forward briskly, had drafted the National Tourism Strategy (NTS) draft after holding multiple consultative sessions with tourism experts of public and private sectors, an official source in the corporation told this agency.

He said a final meeting of all the tourism stakeholders would be called shortly to give the NTS draft a final shape. The draft, after finalization, would be presented before the cabinet for its final approval, he added.

The official said the strategy was guided by a vision (2020-2030) that envisages: A mature, sustainable and responsible tourism industry contributing significantly to the economic development of Pakistan and the quality of life of all her people, primarily through job creation, social inclusion and economic growth.

“The NTS, after its development, would eventually raise the industry’s competitiveness and ensure maximum utilization of Pakistan’s natural, cultural, historical and geographical assets,” he added. To a query, he said a policy framework at national level was need of hour to implement future action plans with regard to the tourism promotion. Such steps would help create harmony among the stakeholders including public and private tourism departments at federal and provincial level, he added.