F.P. Report
PESHAWAR: Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Sardar Ali Amin Khan Gandapur has instructed the relevant quarters to come up with a comprehensive plan for promoting tourism as an industry in the province, adding that the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has been gifted with diverse cultural heritage, enormous beauty and stunning landscapes, which needed to be utilized effectively by developing tourist friendly infrastructure, extending facilities and attracting local and foreign investment.
“The development of tourism sector on modern lines would not only generate employment opportunities for locals but would ultimately contribute to the provincial economy”, he remarked. He was presiding over a meeting of the tourism department, held here at Chief Minister’s House the other day.
Advisor to Chief Minister for tourism Zahid Chan Zeb, Principal Secretary to Chief Minister Amjad Ali Khan and other relevant officials attended the meeting. The participants were briefed about the administrative affairs of the department, development projects, future planning and integrated tourism Zones being established in Malakand and Hazara divisions.
The chief minister on this occasion, directed the quarters concerned to devise a comprehensive plan for promoting ecotourism in the province, and said that we need to have more concerted and result-oriented approaches not only towards preserving the natural beauty of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa but for promoting responsible tourism as well.
He also directed them to set up alternate bazars in the congested tourist spots of the province and to ensure car parking facility as a compulsory component of planning for new tourist sites. He further directed for providing recreational facilities, clean drinking water and sustainable sewerage system at tourist spots, besides rest areas and masajid at some distance on the roads towards tourist destinations.
Similarly, the chief minister has directed to devise a plan for effective and judicious use of properties owned by the tourism department and said that all such properties can be utilized not only for facilitating tourists but contributing to the provincial income.
He directed them to carry out classification of lease policy for government’s tourist sites so as to provide investment opportunities to both the small and large scale investors. Local people should be preferred for investment in the relevant tourist site, he directed and made it clear that development of tourism sector is one of the priority areas of his government, considering its importance to provide employment opportunities to the people.
Ali Amin Khan Gandapur also directed the quarters concerned to speed up work on Integrated Tourism Zones projects in Abbottabad, Mansehra, Swat and Chitral, further directing them to attract foreign investment in this regard.
Furthermore, he has directed for installation of more camping pods of international standard at tourist spots in the province. He has directed to increase the number of private members in the boards of semi-government entities administered by the tourism department, and added that the professionals should be included in the boards. Necessary amendments in the relevant legal framework be proposed for this purpose, he directed.
