‘TDCP to take steps to promote tourism’

LAHORE:Adviser to Chief Minister on Tourism Asif Mahmood on Wednesday said that tourism department would take all necessary steps for the promotion of tourism.

He said this while presiding over a review meeting on the performance of the Tourism Development Corporation of Punjab (TDCP) here at TDCP office. Secretary Tourism and Archaeology Ehsan Bhutta, Additional Secretary Kalsoom Saqib, TDCP Managing Director Tanveer Jabbar, GM Finance Zahid Hussain and GM Admin Touqeer Qazmi were also present.

The Adviser was briefed about the pandemic situation on how it was affecting the department.The adviser while expressing his concerns over corona implications on the tourism sector stressed upon finding alternative sources of income to achieve annual targets. The Adviser said, “The destination of tourist-friendly tourism is directly linked with the availability of proper sources of income. We have to either manage the things within available resources or to look other sources to meet the challenges”. He sought two months performance report of TDCP and directed that both short-term and long-term comprehensive planning be devised for fruitful results.

“It is high time to prove your best abilities”, said Mahmood. On the occasion, Secretary Tourism and Archaeology Ehsan Bhutta briefed about how to make Punjab a tourist-friendly place. “Despite hurdles in the wake of COVID-19 archaeological sites were being restored to attract foreign and local tourists”, he added. He told the Adviser that signboards in large numbers were being displayed on roads towards historical sites. He said that a number of archaeological sites, including Rohtas Fort, Hiran Minar, Jehangir’s Tomb, Chauburji were now illuminated to promote night tourism.