Islamabad: A two-day workshop to promote tourism has started in a local hotel. Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development Syed Zulfiqar Abbas Bukhari, who is also the chairman of National Tourism Coordination Board (NTCB) and Board of Directors of PTDC, inaugurated the workshop.
The workshop was organised by Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation (PTDC) in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
Speaking at the inauguration session, Syed Zulfiqar Abbas Bukhari said that tourism is an emerging sector of Pakistan which carries enormous potential to boost the national economy. Experts should come forward and suggest implementable ideas and realistic timelines to adopt a multidimensional approach towards revolutionising the sector.
He further said that Prime Minister Imran Khan takes immense interest in this sector and keeps constant track of the industry’s performance. However, the government cannot do much unless supported by the private sector.
He informed the participants about the thriving investment potential of the sector and Pakistan’s rich culture and history.
He suggested that since many countries have made tourism their national brand, it’s our time to pursue the trend. In this regard, PTDC has already launched a number of projects aimed at developing a national tourism brand.
Resident Representative UNDP Pakistan Ignacio Artaza also addressed the participants and assured support of UNDP in the government’s initiatives.
In the workshop, nine expert groups will work to formulate recommendations for the government’s consideration.
