PESHAWAR:The United States Agency for International Development’s Economic Recovery and Development Activity (USAID-ERDA)has started the promotion of private sector-led economic growth in the tourism and hospitality sector throughout Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and its Newly Merged Districts (NMDs).
A 5-year Activity Implemented by Associates in Development (AiD) Pvt Ltd, aims to strengthen and modernize the agriculture sector and promote micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) to accelerate economic growth in the region, said a press release issued here on Wednesday.
USAID-ERDA in collaboration with the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Board of Investment and Trade (KP-BOIT), organized a one-day private sector consultative workshop on the tourism and hospitality sector.
The consultations were aimed to identify key challenges to private sector investments, practical solutions for improving the business enabling environment, identifying pertinent national and international best practices and action plans for private sector engagement in the tourism and hospitality sector of the province.
The consultative workshop was attended by private-sector tourism enterprises, tourism experts, tourism services providers, skills providers and experts from relevant donor-funded programs. The participants took a keen interest in the discussion and identified a long list of doable interventions focused on facilitating private sector investments in the tourism and hospitality sector in KP & NMDs.
The key outcomes from the consultative workshop included a prioritized list of regulatory and policy interventions to facilitate private sector investments and key support required by private tourism services providers (capacity building training, skilled human resources, certification, and introduction of allied support services).
The consultation also helped in exploring the potential & scope of introducing Information Technology/digital solutions in the tourism and hospitality sector in the region.
Shad Muhammad, Chief of Party USAID’s Economic Recovery and Development Activity (ERDA), highlighted that the private sector’s engagement is a primary focus of the USAID-ERDA approach towards increasing economic opportunities in KP and NMDs.
“Through our partnership with KP-BOIT and the collective insights gathered from this consultative workshop, a workable action plan will be developed which will form the basis for promoting business enabling environment and targeted support required for increasing private sector investments in the tourism and hospitality sector of KP,” Shad Muhammad said.
This consultative workshop marks a significant stride and will serve as a road map for USAID-ERDA to revitalize the tourism and hospitality sector, ultimately paving the way for sustainable economic growth in KP and NMDs.