PESHAWAR:The Khyber Pakthunkhwa Government has decided to develop four integrated tourism zones (ITZ) in Malakand and Hazara divisions to reduce tourists’ loads on existing destinations and open-up remote scenic areas for eco-tourists, trekkers, mountaineers and adventure sports lovers.
A master plan for development of four integrated tourism zones at Mankial Swat, Thandiani Abbottabad, Ganol Manshera and Madaklasht Lower Chitral have been developed and would soon be presented to the World Bank for implementation.
A renowned Malaysian firm under the auspices of KhyberPakhtunkhwa Integrated Tourism Development Project (KITE) has presented themaster plan for development of four integrated tourism zones to KP Government.
Khyber Pakthunkhwa Chief Minister, Mahmood Khan has principally agreed to the master plan which would soon be presented to the World Bank for implementation.
Briefing the participants at a workshop held here, AJM Planning and Urban Design Group (APUDG) Managing Director Norliza Hashim said her firm had prepared a master plan for four integrated tourism zones includingMankial in Swat, Thandiani in Abbottabad, Ganol in Mansehra and Madaklasht inLower Chitral.
She said map making, local planning, destination management plan, phase-wise infrastructure development and construction of roads leading to tourist zones were part of the plan. Besides Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Integrated Tourism (KITE) Project Director Touseef Khalid, officials of KP Sports, Tourism, Archaeology, Museums, Culture and Youth Affairs Department and APUDG and tourism stakeholders attended the workshop.
KITE Project Director Touseef Khalid said the consultant firm had presented a draft master plan for development of all the integrated tourism zones to KP Government and would present management and investment plans in the next phase.
It would be consisted of various plans, including municipal, public sector investment and private sector businesses.There are six plans and programmes for uplift of Integrated Tourism Zone Thandiani comprising a 428-room hotel and a resort for tourists while five projects are for infrastructure and other facilities. Thandiani zone would be established on 640 kanal.
Similarly, eight projects were presented for the Ganol tourism zone, including a 218-room hotel and a resort while five projects are for infrastructure and other facilities. Ganol zone would be established on 480kanal.Seven projects were sketched for Integrated Tourism ZoneMankial in Swat to be established on 754 kanal where a 71-room hotel and a resort would be constructed besides five projects were presented for infrastructure and other facilities.
For Integrated Tourism Zone Madaklasht in Lower Chitral to be constructed on 540 kanal, there were eight projects, including construction of a 382-room hotel and a resort while five projects were for infrastructure and other facilities.
Sports, Tourism, Archaeology, Museums, Culture and YouthAffairs Department under the KITE funded by the World Bank had decided to develop four tourism zones to facilitate tourists and visitors besides reducing load on existing tourists’ destinations.
The provincial government is undertaking several initiatives to employ the tourism sector as a key driver for economic growth and job creation in the province. To create an enabling environment for the private sector to participate and develop the tourism value chain, the KP government has entered into a partnership with the World Bank through an International Development Association (IDA) loan for KITE project.