Prime Minister Imran Khan For Framework To Attract Local, Foreign Investment For Tourism Projects

Prime Minister Imran Khan here Monday directed the authorities concerned to develop a framework for public private partnership, especially to attract foreign and local investment in large scaled tourism projects in the country.

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 19th Nov, 2018 ) :Prime Minister Imran Khan here Monday directed the authorities concerned to develop a framework for public private partnership, especially to attract foreign and local investment in large scaled tourism projects in the country.

Chairing a meeting of National Task Force on Tourism at Prime Minister's Office, the Prime Minister said Pakistan had huge potential in tourism sector and tourism had increased phenomenally during last three years.

Secretary to the Prime Minister Azam Khan briefed the participants regarding recommendations of the earlier constituted National Task Force on Tourism. In order to complement 100 days agenda of the government, he said new destinations were highlighted, based on their potential and proposed activities, to be developed in all provinces and regions of Pakistan.

In order to ameliorate tourism sector of Pakistan after 18th Amendment and to develop synergies amongst provinces and regions, it was proposed to formulate National Tourism Coordination board with inclusion of relevant public and private stakeholders from all provinces including GB and AJK. The Board would be meant to integrate efforts, coordinate with national and international organizations and to facilitate provinces in developing regulatory framework in tourism sector.

The participants were apprised of the major issues and challenges being faced by tourism sector and their possible solutions with dedicated time bound roles of various public sector organizations at Federal, provincial and local government level.

The meeting discussed specialized, religious, adventure and sports, eco-tourism and others thematic types of tourism with their suitable areas and potential target market.

The Prime Minister emphasized the need to facilitate and give incentive to the tourism industry while removing all the bottlenecks and hurdles impeding the promotion of tourism in the country. He directed to ensure environmental protection and cultural preservation while undertaking tourism related projects in tourist areas of the country.

He stressed to bring tourism to the center stage of development process by ensuring that development proposals of other sectors are seamlessly fed into the development of tourism potential of provinces and regions.

The Prime Minister emphasized that relevant tourism departments should develop their tourism policies and plans in accordance to the international best practices of sustainable tourism to ensure the sustainability of environment, local economy and cultural norms.

While agreeing to the recommendations of National Task Force on Tourism, he directed for devising a comprehensive plan of action in consultation with relevant public and private sector organizations of all provinces and regions for implementing a well synergized and well-coordinated mechanism for promotion of tourism in the country.