PESHAWAR:Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government, following the Prime Minister’ vision, constructed roads networks with a cost of Rs11 billion to provide an easy access to tourists for exploring the hidden tourism treasures of the province.
On United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO), Secretary Tourism, Sports, Culture, Archaeology and Youth Affairs, Abid Majeed Khan informed that KP was a unique province having better climate conditions suitable for all kinds of tourism including adventure, sports, archeological, religious, mountainous, cultural, domestic, ecotourism, recreational and winter’s skiing sports throughout the year.
He urged foreign and domestic tourists to come and explore KP’s hidden tourism treasures as maximum facilities are available here for them.
In line of the Prime Minister Imran Khan and KP Government’s vision, he said work on different tourism projects continued with speed that after completion would make the entire KP including merged areas a hub of tourism besides generating substantial revenue for the rural populations and alleviate poverty.
This year theme of UNWTO Day is “Inclusive development through tourism”.
KP Tourism Department and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Culture and Tourism Authority (KP C&TA) are working on a number of projects on priority basis for speedy development of tourism and uplift of the new potential destinations to further open up KP’s tourism besides reducing tourists’ heavy load in the existing breathtaking Galiyat, Nathiagali, Thandyani, Kaghan, Naran, Malam Jabba, Kalam, Kumrat and Chitral.
Keeping in view of tourists loads on these tourists destinations, a new tourism valley “Ganool” carrying splendid natural beauty, is being introduced. New tracks for facilitation of adventurers, mountaineers and trekkers would also be built. It includes Thandyani-Nathiagali (40 kilometers) track covering the scenic areas of Bringali, Dagri Bangla, Miranjai Top having over 150 years old trees full of thrill and excitement.
The second track covers Thandyani-Tastu Bangla constructed in 1902 during colonial era while the third one is Mahnoor-Biyari Forest-Anso Lake-Saiful Malook lake covering in three days and two nights full of adventure. The fourth track is passing through Shinkyari Top-Kand Bangla-Shaheed Pani, Nadi Bangla and Mosamasla carrying 40kms.
On these longs tracks, facilities including rest houses, washrooms and tours guides etc would be provided to tourists to make their journey comfortable and memorable.
Captain (Retd), Kamran Ahmed Afridi, Director General, KP Culture and Tourism Authority said feasibility studies of the mega Kumrat Dir Upper-Madakhast Chitral Cable Car project has been completed that would brought positive resolution in tourism sector in KP.
To fully tapped Malakand Division’s adventure sports potential, the 14 kilometers world’s longest and highest Cable Car Project (CCP) with a proposed cost of Rs32 billion would connect Kumrat Valley of Dir Upper with Madaklasht valley of Lower Chitral. The project on completion would attract around 10 million tourists every year to Khyber Pakthunkhwa.
Works on various gigantic projects including promotion of historic culture of Chitral, restoration of Kalash culture, maintaining smooth flow of traffic in tourism destinations, recruitment of tourism police, handing over of all official rest houses to private sector on lease, process of shifting of camping pods on 10 different places to private sector on lease and restoration of heritage tourism on archaeological sites were expedited.
“The experience of camping pods setup during the first phase at Thandyani, Sharan, Beshigram, Yakhtangi, Sheikh Badin remained highly successful attracted substantial number of tourists.”
The new coping pods setup at Gabin Jabba, Kalash, Alai Batagram, Mahban and Shaheed Sir Buner would be opened for tourists this year, Kamran Afridi said.
The Govt, keeping in view of the enormous success of camping pods, has extended the mega project with direction to establish it in 10 new places to facilitate tourists for which search for five new suitable site was underway in the province.
Consultancy is in progress for making ski resorts in different places of the province besides establishment of Culture and Tourism Authority offices at divisional level and handing over of 167 rest houses on lease.
Home Stay project is being launched under which loans on easy terms and conditions would be provided to youth through Bank of Khyber with cooperation of Youth Affairs Department for preparation of at least one room at their houses near bazaars under the tourism model for provision of accommodation to tourists and in response they will receive rent from tourists.
Tourism survey in all seven tribal districts of merged areas is being conducted for establishment of camping pods, picnic spots, making tourism areas accessible through roads connectivity, rest houses, tourism and cultural activities, arranging festivals and others many schemes that after completion would attract tourists in droves to merged areas after Hazara and Malakand Divisions.
To bolster roads connectivity, Kalam-Kumrat Road, Aywon-Kalash, Bamborat and Rambor Valley and Chitral-Garam Cheshma Road would be constructed besides others roads projects that would open up the entire Malakand divisions for tourism.
KP Government pro tourism policies and record development projects has immensely helped attracted influx of tourists in KP where best environment and facilities are being provided to them.
The tourism related businesses including hotels and transport sectors have witnessed great boom in Khyber Pakthunkhwa by registering record Rs66 billion revenue during vacations of last Eidul Azha, Latifur Rehman, Spokesperson of KP Tourism Department told reporter.
He said an economic turnaround has been witnessed in the wake of massive influx of domestic and foreign tourists besides adventurers, hikers, sportsmen and mountaineers with a record Rs27 billion business to rural economy during Eid holidays in KP.
He said over 27,70,000 tourists, hikers and adventure sports lovers visited different scenic areas of Swat, Chitral, Nathiagali Abbottabad, Kaghan and Naran in Mansehra.
Swat attracted over 1.5 million tourists and adventure sports lovers followed by one million by Galiyat, 1,20,000 by Kumrat Dir Upper, 7,20,000 by Kaghan, Naran, Saiful Malook, Anso Lakes and 50,000 Chitral including famous Kalash valley through about 7,20,000 vehicles.
Tulip gardening are being promoted at Naran and Kaghan where growers are likely to earn Rs 60,000 from one kanal produce.
Secretary Abid Majeed has urged tourists to cooperate with Govt for restoration of the beauty and making all tourism areas neat and clean.