ISLAMABAD (APP): Pakistan is a country blessed with great tourism potential and it is the role of youth that can bring a sense of responsible tourism among the masses as young content creators must provide positive guidance about Pakistani tourist spots to the world.
Aftab Ur Rehman Rana, Managing Director, Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation (PTDC) said that during last few years, Pakistan witnessed an increase in number of both domestic and international tourists due to which the growing tourism industry is getting boost day by day while the private sector is also playing an important role in this regard besides the efforts of government.
Over one million international arrivals of tourists were recorded till June 2023 and it will reach by two million by the end of this year after a 3 years span of crisis time in the tourism industry due to Covid-19 pandemic, MD PTDC said while talking to APP.
The number of overseas Pakistanis in Northern Areas has also witnessed an increase during this year which is creating a positive impact on the economic health of the country and shows the growth trend of the tourism industry in Pakistan encouraging private sector and investment opportunities.
He said that PTDC has recently launched the National Tourism Portal to guide the tourists about the tourist spots and support them from booking to travel information and facilities.
in recent years, the young vloggers and adventure lovers have recorded much about Pakistan’s beauty, natural environment, sustainable tourism, eco tourism and adventure tourism which has increased the movement of domestic tourists for recreational purposes but besides that the young generation in their tourist guide material must create sense of responsibility to save environment, discourage pollution and attract international audience to this piece of land, he suggested.
MD PTDC said, Pakistan is a country full of diverse inventory of tourism attractions, having worlds’ tallest mountains on earth in the north and longest glaciers that provide great opportunity to promote various forms of adventure tourism. “We have hundreds of beautiful lakes with amazing landscapes and many of these lakes are only accessible through trekking routes.
The Makran coast also has wonderful landscapes as on one side you can see the Rocky Mountains and other side there are most beautiful sandy beaches that is reflective of ideal marine environment in Pakistan,” he said, adding that, in terms of human history, we have one of the oldest civilizations including Buddhist heritage of Gandhara, most renowned world Heritage sites, Hindu shrines, Sikh Gudawaras and shrines of Sufi Saints.
From water sports to desert jeep rallies, paragliding, river rafting, para jumping, wingsuit flying and many more adventure activities have made Pakistan known to the world as a place of adventure sports and tourism that will not only boost economy but also project soft image of the country, he said.
Youth must play role for responsible tourism: MD
