Women's role in tourism stressed

LAHORE: Pakistan can boost its tourism industry by encouraging women entrepreneurs to pioneer hospitality startups because they are naturally disposed to it, industry officials said on Saturday.

Views to this effect were voiced during a seminar on “Tourism as an Industry for Women Entrepreneurs” at the Lahore Chamber of Commerce & Industry.

Governor Punjab’s wife Begum Parveen Sarwar speaking as chief guest said all segments of society should support women so that they could get a better standard.

Women should be encouraged to take part in trade and economic activities, she said adding that “women are an integral part of society and no society can develop without active participation of women”.

Parveen said women had been facing numerous hurdles while working in different fields. LCCI President Mian Tariq Misbah said after the 18th amendment in the Constitution of Pakistan, tourism has become a provincial subject.

“Now we have got to explore more business opportunities in the tourism sector to embark upon and especially our women entrepreneurs will have to come forward in this sector to prove their mettle.”

Misbah said Pakistan ranked low in the world travel & tourism index, especially in areas like enabling environment, safety and security, environmental sustainability and tourism infrastructure etc. “When women entrepreneurs will take interest in this sector then there will be more chances of improvements in these areas,” he said.