World Tourism Day: KP spending Rs10 billion to boost tourism

PESHAWAR: The Tourism Department is making strenuous efforts to promote tourism in the province as per the vision of Prime Minister Imran Khan and the provincial government, officials said on Monday.

In their statements on the World Tourism Day, Secretary Tourism, Sports, Archaeology, Culture, Museums and Youth Affairs Department Muhammad Abid Majeed and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Culture and Tourism Authority (KPCTA) Director-General Kamran Ahmad Afridi said that the government had initiated a number of projects, including the construction of access roads to scenic spots, recruitment of tourism police, installation of camping pods and others to arrack more tourists to the province.

The secretary said that a network of access roads to the tourist spots across KP was being constructed at a cost of Rs11 billion.He said that access roads, including Ayun to Kalash, Rambur to Bamburet, Chitral to Garam Chashma and others would be constructed to facilitate tourists.

KPCTA DG Kamran Afridi said that tangible steps had been taken for the promotion of tourism and the development and rehabilitation of new tourist spots in the province.He said new tourist spots, including Ganol, were being introduced in the province.

The official said tracks were being built at four places, including Thandiani to Nathigali, Baragali, Degree Bungalow to Merajani Top, Thandiani to Satto Bungalow, Mahnoor to Biyari Forest, Anso Lake to Saiful Muluk Lake, Shinkiari Top to Kund Bungalow, Shaheed Pani, Naddi Bungalow to Musa Musallah to provide an opportunity of enjoyment to the trekkers.

He said that rest places, washrooms would be constructed on the tracks besides providing guides to the trekkers. The official said the feasibility for the Kumrat-Madaklasht-Chitral cable car service had already completed and now its execution was in the pipeline.

Also, to explore and highlight the tourism potential, cultural heritage and historic sites through different initiatives, including publicity via social media platform, has been launched.

He said that Broghil Festival had been included in the annual events calendar while tourism police were being raised to ensure the safety of tourists at scenic places.

Revival of indigenous Kalash culture, historic and tourist places in Chitral and leasing out of all rest houses and guest houses of the provincial government and unique camping pods in 10 tourist sites to the private sector, rehabilitation of heritage tourism and establishment of four tourism zones in the province are also on the cards, said the official.

The camping pods, he said, had been installed in Thandiani, Sharan, Bishigram, Yakh Tangi, Sheikh Badin, which had boosted tourism in these areas.He said the camping pods installed recently in Gabin Jaba, Kalash, Alai, Battagram, Mahbanr and Shaheed Sar in Buner would be opened to the tourists this year.

After its success story, Kamran Afridi said that camping pods in 10 more tourist spots would be installed to facilitate tourists and visitors.Besides identification of five sites for installation of camping pods, he said consultancy for leasing out 167 rest houses to the private sector and establishing ski resorts in different snow-capped areas and KPCTA divisional offices has been launched. The official said the “Homestay” project was being launched to provide job opportunities to the youth at the local level.

Under the project, he explained, the youths would be provided loans with the help of the Directorate of Youth Affairs and Khyber Bank to establish a separate model room in their houses for the tourists stay.

The owners would charge rent from the tourists to increase their families’ income.The KPCTA is also taking steps for the promotion of tourism in the seven merged districts of the province.

He said surveys were being conducted in different areas of merged districts for the installation of camping pods, developing picnic spots, access roads to scenic places, rest houses, the revival of tourism and cultural activities, arranging festivals and a lot of more to lure more domestic and international tourists to the marvellous attractions in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) has designated 2021 as ‘’Tourism for Inclusive Growth”.

The World Tourism Day is commemorated each year on September 27 to foster awareness among the international community of the importance of tourism and its social, cultural, political and economic value and develop the tourism industry and the stakeholders of the sector.