Govt promoting tourism in KP, says official

MANSEHRA: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government is spending around Rs16 billion to promote tourism in the province, an official said on Monday.

Speaking at the inaugural ceremony of the dream valley tours, Director General of Directorate of Tourist Services Ghulam Saeed said KP had great potential for tourism promotion. He said establishing the hospitality industry on modern lines would generate huge revenue.

“The government has been spending around Rs16 billion annually on the promotion of the tourism industry and time is not far off when this industry could contribute 40 per cent share in the GDP,” he said.

He said the KP government recently launched an integrated tourism project to promote tourism in the province. “This project is promoting tourism and working to preserve the natural essence and ecology in the province,” Ghulam Saeed said.

The official said the Kaghan Development Authority would implement an executive strategy to

promote the hospitality industry. “The Kaghan valley and Malakand division are two major destinations that could attract foreign investments so the government is working on the public-private partnership to take the hospitality industry to the international standards,” Ghulam Saeed said.

He said his directorate was working to enhance service standards and impart training to professionals and others affiliated with the tourism industry in Kaghan valley and the rest of the province. “We have also been working to preserve the soothing environment of Kaghan valley and Lake Saiful Muluk and road projects in the valley are being completed,” he added.