PESHAWAR:National tourism Conference (NCA) 2022 was started at PNCA Islamabad on the eve of the world tourism day’s celebrations.
KP Culture and Tourism Authority (KPCTA) that represented the province, established a tourism Information desk at the venue to provide information to tourists about the initiatives undertaken by KP government for the uplift of tourism and to portray its culture.
According to KPCTA press release, brochures, pamphlets, and other tourism promotional materials were distributed among the visitors at its information desk.
Documentaries on provincial tourism were screened to highlight various tourist spots, culture and beautiful valleys of the province.
Awn Chaudhary, Advisor to the Prime Minister on Tourism and Sports was the chief guest at the conference. Managing Director Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation Aftab Ahmad Rana officially started the conference and welcomed the participants.
Detailed discussions were held in various sessions about the promotion of tourism in the country.
Awn Chaudhary said there are many countries in the world whose economy depends on tourism. There are many opportunities in Pakistan’s tourism industry that we can take advantage of for strengthening our tourism industry.
Besides mountain ranges, tourist-friendly environment and beautiful natural scenery, he said that Gandhara civilization, religious tourism, adventure and sports tourism in addition to many opportunities exists that can benefit our country in the best way.
General Manager, Investment Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Culture and Tourism Authority Umair Khattak said that KPCTA reiterated KP Government’s stance of investing more resources for the uplift of tourism in merged areas.
The Chief Minister KP Mehmood Khan has directed to focus on infrastructure development and destination management in the erstwhile FATA and accordingly road, rest areas, rest houses, jeep-able tracks and parks are being constructed in merged areas, he added.
Under public private partnership mode including integrated tourism zones at Ganool, Mankiyal, Thandiani and Madaglasht, he said that master planning of tourist destinations in the form of destination management and tourist management plans was yet another key aspect of tourism initiatives of the government.
In the conference, various stakeholders had detailed discussion about the destruction of tourist places after the floods and their recovery.
The participants said the hotels and other buildings built on the banks of the river have seen floods even twelve years ago. Therefore, in the future, instead of riverside constructions, infrastructure should be built keeping in mind the beauty of the tourist places and under a complete plan as per eco-tourism guidelines so that the loss of people and their property can be minimized and the beauty of these places is also kept intact.
A painting and photo exhibition was also organized for children and youth that was inaugurated by Advisor for Tourism and Sports Awan Chaudhry at the beginning of the conference.
The conference was very fruitfull for the participants and hoped that it would be beneficial for the future of the country.
KPCTA also represented its culture through stall specially designed for world tourism day event.