F.P. Report
PESHAWAR: Zahid Chanzeb, Advisor to the Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Tourism, Culture, Museums and Archeology, Sunday revealed that the tourism industry generates 30 billion dollars revenue to our national economy, that is 6% of the country’s GDP.
“Nature has generously blessed our province with the world’s best hill stations and tourist destinations and only focusing on this sector can revolutionize the economy of the province that can ameliorate the quality of life of the poor over here and the present PTI-led KP government is quite serious to exploit all such vital sectors on crash grounds”, he added. Trillion of rupees income can be obtained from the tourism sector to spend on ameliorating lot of the poor and contribute in restoration of the economy and infrastructure of the province, he maintained.
He expressed this during his visit to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Culture and Tourism Authority (KPCTA) headquarters in Peshawar Cantt wherein he went round various sections and got acquainted of its working. An introductory meeting was also held on this occasion.
Zahid Chanzeb while chairing the meeting said that Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur has made it clear in his first policy statement that all due rights and financial resources of the province will be obtained from the federation, while simultaneously the rich mineral and natural treasures existed on our soil will also be explored and exploited with renewed spirit, among which the tourism sector is at the top, he exhorted.
“We will open the attractive touristic, ecological and religious places and archeological sites in the province to the tourists and researchers from across the globe so that our tourism industry get flourished with leaps and bounds opening new vistas of income and employment opportunities for our educated youth. Similarly our such candid steps will also enhance our soft image in the comity of nations all over the world, he added.
The CM’s aide on Tourism and Culture clarified that in the recent past, terrorism and unrest had tarnished our national face at the international arena, however he said that the matchless sacrifices of our valiant nation and armed forces have yielded fruits wherein peace and harmony reigns in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa as else in the country and we have to benefit from it.
“Our focus now will be to ensuring the rule of law, merit and improving our fragile economy so that the people feel a sense of security in all respects and all sectors and institutions including tourism are developed and strengthened with accelerated pace”, he revealed further.
Zahid Chanzeb reiterated the pledge that he himself will burn the mid nights oil to ensure the use of every forum at the national and international level in order to promote tourism in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on solid footings globally.
Earlier, on arrival at the KPCTA headquarters, Director General Barkatullah Marwat briefed him on the performance of the authority besides the progress made so far towards achieving the set goals in this respect.
The Adviser Tourism eulogized performance of KPCTA and expressed the confidence that the authority will vigour its efforts in searching out new tourist spots, improving road infrastructure, registration of hotels and tour operators, increasing tourism investment, maximize income resources and ensuring timely and quality completion of all ongoing schemes including new cable car and chair lift installation projects in various hill stations and snow bound areas. Similarly he further pledged that KPCTA will emerge as part and parcel of the current PTI government agenda of prosperity and implementing people-friendly and public welfare policies in letter and spirit.
He assured that concrete measures will be taken to increase investment avenues in the tourism sector, while all the obstacles in the way of tourism investment will be removed on priority basis, for which, he assured that he will hold separate meetings and consultations with the heads and experts of all the concerned sectors. Also he will keep the Chief Minister constantly abreast with the progress thus made in tourism sector and seek his guidance as well, he concluded.
