PM directs to make Pakistan global tourism brand

Islamabad: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has directed to make Pakistan a global tourism brand to promote tourism in the country.

A high-level meeting on the promotion of tourism in the country was held under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, in which various suggestions were presented to utilize the tourism potential in Pakistan and advance the tourism sector in an organized manner.

Addressing the meeting, Shehbaz Sharif said that Pakistan’s tourism sector has unlimited potential to earn foreign exchange. Allah has blessed Pakistan with such timeless natural beauty and resources that are no less than any tourist country in the world.

He stated that the snow-capped mountains, lush forests, blue rivers, plains, and desert areas in the northern regions are the beauties of Pakistan that need to be highlighted as a brand at the global level.

The Prime Minister directed the Pakistan Tourism Development Authority (PTDC) to take immediate practical steps to include the country in the list of top tourist destinations in the world, establish special tourism zones for tourism promotion, and organize and activate tourism activities across the country with the cooperation of the provinces.

The meeting decided that the public and private sectors will have to work under a joint strategy to facilitate access to Pakistan’s tourist destinations for international tourists, while special measures will also be taken to boost domestic tourism.

The Prime Minister directed that a comprehensive plan be made for sustainable and permanent investment in the tourism sector to stabilize the economy and create employment opportunities.

Several suggestions were presented to the Prime Minister for the promotion of tourism, which included international promotion of attractive destinations such as the northern regions, promotion of medical tourism, and provision of modern facilities.

At the end of the meeting, the Prime Minister directed all institutions to ensure immediate implementation under a coordinated strategy to make tourism a central pillar of national development.

The meeting was attended by Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar, Federal Minister for Railways Hanif Abbasi, Federal Minister for Azad Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan Engineer Amir Muqam, Minister for National Heritage Aurangzeb Khichi, Advisor to the Prime Minister Rana Sanaullah, Special Assistant Huzaifa Rehman, and senior officials of relevant institutions.