Government focussed on eco-tourism: PM

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan Thursday said that Allah Almighty has blessed Pakistan with different climatic zones and numerous untapped tourist spots, and the government is focused on eco-tourism so that environmental conservation is also ensured while managing tourist spots.

Imran Khan said that soft image of Pakistan could only be portrayed through promotion of tourism that will also generate revenue and employment opportunities. The prime minister stated that the federal government will provide all possible facilitation to the provincial governments for development and promotion of tourism sector in the country.

The premier said this while chairing a meeting of the National Coordination Committee on Tourism here. Minister for Industries Hammad Azhar, KP Chief Minister Mehmood Khan, SAPM for Overseas Pakistanis Syed Zulfiqar Abbas Bukhari, Minister for Tourism Gilgit-Baltistan Samina Baig, Minister for Tourism Azad Jammu and Kashmir Mushtaq Minhas, secretary Cabinet Division, MD PTDC Intikhab Alam and senior officers attended the meeting.

Adviser to CM Punjab on Tourism Asif Mehmood, Minister for Tourism Sindh Syed Sardar Ali Shah, Minister for Tourism Balochistan Abdul Khaliq Hazara, chief secretaries of Punjab, KP, Sindh, GB and provincial secretaries of tourism departments participated through video link.

Zulfiqar Bukhari briefed the NCC in detail about the progress on development of tourism sector. He noted that substantial work has been undertaken for development of religious tourism. Updating the NCC, SAPM stated that geo mapping of all existing and potential tourism sites, strategies for promotion, public private partnership modalities, anti-encroachment drive on tourist spots and waste disposal plans are underway.

In this regard, he said all provincial governments are on-board. For promotion of hospitality sector, incentives would be provided for import of machinery and equipment. Bukhari also presented Tourism Development Plan 2020-21 that includes Human Resource capacity building, preparation of master plan for 40 sites, seven theme parks, development of 60 new sites to ease burden on existing sites, national standards and certification mechanism to ensure quality services for tourists and 30 international standard feasibilities.