Rs9.66 Billion Allocated For Tourism Uplift In KP Budget: Advisor Tourism

Adviser to the Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Tourism, Culture and Archeology, Zahid Chanzeb, has said that in the provincial budget of the new financial year, a huge chunk of Rs9.66 billion has been allocated for promotion of tourism industry in the province and this amount is 25 per cent more than the past few years

PESHAWAR, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 30th May, 2024) Adviser to the Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Tourism, Culture and Archeology, Zahid Chanzeb, has said that in the provincial budget of the new financial year, a huge chunk of Rs9.66 billion has been allocated for promotion of tourism industry in the province and this amount is 25 per cent more than the past few years.

This, he said, was proof of the interest of Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur to develop tourism in the province. During an informal conversation with some media representatives here on Thursday, he clarified that tourism is the only sector in which there were more investment opportunities and huge revenue and foreign exchange could be incurred from it.

He said that in the previous four to five years, Pakistan has earned almost 20 billion Dollars of foreign exchange annually from the tourism sector alone, which is four percent of the overall national growth rate (GDP), while during the last Eid, 2 to 3 million tourists visited the serene areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa that brought the government an income of up to four billion rupees.

Therefore, he asserted that he gives the clear assurance to the Chief Minister and the people of the province that firstly, the transparent and fair use of this Rs9.

66 billion allocated amounts for the tourism industry in the provincial budget will be ensured while double to triple income would be accrued of it as compared to the amounts spent from other schemes to be completed.

He said the province will have many times more financial and economic benefits of promoting tourism in the province. Also, tourism services are sure to have a positive impact on the living conditions of locals as well, he maintained.

Zahid Chanzeb said that a total of Rs 8382.873 million have been allocated for 60 tourism projects in the new budget, including Rs 7945.865 million for 42 ongoing schemes while Rs 437.008 million for 18 new schemes have been set aside to give boost to this cash earning industry in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

He said that the provincial government believes in continuity of policy and development, therefore more attention is being given to the completion of ongoing schemes, while the new projects consist of many mega schemes, which include the development of new tourist spots and increase in facilities for tourists in addition to the improvement of road infrastructure, he concluded.

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