Islamabad:
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif ordered Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation (PTDC) on Monday to take immediate and practical measures to promote tourism in the country.
“Public and private sectors should work together to facilitate the visits of international tourists to tourist destinations in Pakistan,” said the Prime Minister while chaired a meeting to examine efforts for the development of the tourism sector.
He also underlined the need for special measures to stimulate domestic tourism by encouraging local travelers to explore the country’s recreational sites. He also called for strategic planning to attract long -term investments in the tourism sector.
He said that there was great potential to win foreign exchange for tourism in the country.
“Almighty has blessed Pakistan with abundant natural resources and timeless beauty,” he noted, adding that with its snowy mountains, lush forests, its rivers, its plains, its deserts and its other natural wonders-especially in northern areas-Pakistan is in no way behind any other nation in terms of tourist potential.
The Prime Minister also ordered that Pakistan should be introduced abroad as a tourist brand.
“With the cooperation of the provinces, measures should be taken across the country to promote tourism,” he noted, adding that “under the vision of national development, we will make Pakistan one of the main tourist destinations in the world”.
During the meeting, the Prime Minister received proposals on how to exploit the full potential of the tourism sector in Pakistan.
To promote tourism, measures such as promoting northern tourism destinations, medical tourism and other initiatives can be taken, the meeting has been informed.
The meeting was followed by the Minister of Information and Dissemination of Attaullah Tarar, the Minister of Railways Hanif Abbasi, the Minister of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, and Baltistan Gilgit’s affairs, Amir Muqam, Minister of National Heritage Aurangzeb Kitci, advisor to Prime Minister Rana Sanaullah, special officials and functions of the Deputy Government Huzaifa.
