Comprehensive Strategy Imperative To Exploit $100 Mln Tourism Potential: FCCI President

Mohammad Ali (@ChaudhryMAli88) Published November 08, 2024 | 06:20 PM

FAISALABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 8th Nov, 2024) Pakistan should formulate a comprehensive strategy to exploit the $100 million potential of inbound tourism, said Rehan Naseem Bharara, President Faisalabad Chamber of Commerce & Industry (FCCI).

Addressing a meeting of the FCCI Standing Committee on International Tourism & Liaison with Hajj & Umrah, he said that Pakistan has a large number of religious holy sites and shrines of the followers of Sikhs, Buddhism and other religions. “Followers of these religions visit Pakistan for their spiritual satisfaction. We can enhance their numbers by renovating these sites and by providing the intended pilgrims best possible boarding, lodging and transport facilities in addition to ensuring easily accessible air connectivity”, he added.

He said that tourism is one of the fastest growing sectors of the economy but we failed to exploit its potential.

He stressed the need to identify all such sites in collaboration with the local communities and travel agents so that all tourism related sub sectors could serve them professionally to earn hundred million Dollars per annum.

He particularly mentioned the Kartarpur corridor which attracts thousands of Sikhs from eastern Punjab to pay a visit to this holy site of Baba Guru Nanak.

He also mentioned the Gurdwara in between Katchery Bazaar and Rail Bazaar which is currently being used as a school. “It is a historic building which was constructed before partition by the Sikhs community”, he said and added that it still has attraction for this community.

He said that local travels and tour operators must document different religious sites and urged the government to renovate the same so that their followers could be attracted to pay visits to these sites.