ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: The Federal Information Minister Pervaiz Rasheed has urged the provincial governments to play their due role to promote tourism in the country.
In his address at a Seminar on Tourism & Photo Exhibition held in connection with the World Tourism Day in Rawalpindi on Wednesday, the minister stressed the need for joint efforts by the federal and provincial governments to promote tourism in the country.
The seminar was organized by the Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation (PDTC) at the Flashman’s Hotel, Rawalpindi. The World Tourism Day is celebrated worldwide on September 27 each year with an objective to foster awareness among the international community of the importance of tourism and its social, cultural, political and economic values.
The information minister said that under the 18th constitution amendment the subject of tourism has been transferred to the federating units. He said that the provincial governments should play their role to promote tourism in the country.
“We have rendered great sacrifices for peace in the country and Pakistan of 2018 will be much better than the Pakistan of 2013,” Rasheed said.
Pervaiz Rasheed said that development of communication infrastructure including metro bus service is helping in promotion of tourism.
The minister said that the present government is also focusing on basic communication infrastructure development for connecting every part of the country with each other.
On the occasion, the minister inaugurated a photo exhibition in connection with World Tourism Day.
A large number of people from different walks of life including students from private and public sector educational institutions are visiting the exhibition. The photographs depicting the country’s lofty mountain peaks, lakes and valleys, customs and cultural aspects and national heritage have been put on display in the exhibition.
Secretary Cabinet Raja Hassan Abbas in his address said that this year’s theme of World Tourism Day “1 Billion Tourists, 1 Billion Opportunities” reflects that how much tourism has grown over the years moving billion people across the globe annually. And how much a community can benefit, economically, socially and culturally, from this mass movement of people. After a period of political turmoil, environmental and natural disasters, conflicts and new diseases that have affected tourist movements, we are more confident than ever that tourism in Pakistan has the capacity to successfully address some of the main issues which are at the root of such problems, especially extreme poverty and social harmony.
Ch. Kabir Ahmad Khan, Managing Director PTDC in his welcome address said that World Tourism Day is Celebrated every year on 27th September under the theme declared by UNWTO. However, due to Eid Holidays, this year we are celebrating it today under the theme “One Billion Tourists – One Billion Opportunities”. Indeed this is the right theme to describe this extra ordinary industry which has served whoever has treated it right. He added that there are no two views on the importance of sustainable development of tourism industry as major source of foreign exchange earner, a tool of job creation and poverty alleviation and above all creating harmony among people from different parts of the country. It ability to sustain even the poorest in the economic ladder have been proven many times.
He told that PTDC is committed to develop and promote tourism industry in the country. With continuous effort of our officers and staff, during the last financial year 2014-15, PTDC’s subsidiaries have increased their revenue and in coming years, we will soon achieve the target of becoming the self-sustained profitable organization. As an initiative to promote tourism industry and engage youth of Pakistan, PTDC in collaboration with University of Management and Technology Lahore has launched “Pakistan Tourism Friends Club”. The members of the club can avail 20% special discount on room rent at all PTDC Motels spread all over Pakistan. He thanked Carmudi Pakistan for their interest in tourism promotion and sponsoring this event.
Guest Speakers Col (R) Manzoor Hussain, President Alpine Club of Pakistan, Ms. Jehan Ara Muee, Secretary Adventure Foundation Pakistan, Irfan ullah Baig, President Pakistan Association of Tour Operators, Khadim Rasool from Travel Agents Association of Pakistan and Mr. Agha Iqrar Haroon, Honorary President, The Region Initiative (TRI) made presentations on “Problems and Challenges being faced in promotion and development of tourism in Pakistan and their solutions”.
Former Consultant to Ministry of Tourism and Honorary President of The Region Initiative (TRI) Agha Iqrar Haroon in his presentation stressed involvement of local communities in tourism planning. He gave example of Mitan Responsible Tourism Project Samarkand Uzbekistan where local community is involved at every level of execution of tourism activities.
He informed participants about new initiative of Asian Ecotourism Network (AEN) and asked government of Pakistan to get guideline from AEN and Global Ecotourism Network while planning responsible and ecotourism plans.
The Photo Exhibition was inaugurated by Senator Pervaiz Rashid, which was visited by a large number of students of universities, colleges and schools and general public. The exhibition will remain open till 8th October’s evening.
In addition, the information minister also awarded shields and certificates to persons including senior journalist Agha Iqrar Haroon and Jahan Ara Mueen for their contribution in tourism development in Pakistan.
In a statement after getting the award, Agha Iqrar Haroon expressed happiness and thanked the federal government for acknowledging his services.
“I am happy to get award for tourism development in Pakistan,” Agha Iqrar Haroon said.
Agha Iqrar Haroon also expressed his resolve to continue to serve the country and work for the promotion of tourism and intercultural harmony in the country.
“I feel privileged that my services for intercultural harmony have been recognised and minister for Heritage awarded me today,” he added.
The program of the event was as follow:
0945 Hours- Arrival of the Chief Guest
0950 Hours- Inauguration of Photo Exhibition by Minister for Information,
Broadcasting & National Heritage / Chairman PTDC Board of Director.
1000 Hours- Guests to be seated
1015 Hours – Recitation from the Holy Quran by M. Waseem
1020 Hours- Welcome address by the Managing Director PTDC
1025 Hours – Col (R) Manzoor Hussain, President, Alpine Club of Pakistan
Commissioned in Pakistan Army Corps of Engineers in June 1966 and retired in September 1992. He is a Graduate in Civil Engineering from Staff College Quetta. He worked for construction of Karakoram Highway and Skardu Road for about four years. A recipient of gallantry military award Tamgha e Basalat, his mountaineering career with Alpine Club of Pakistan (ACP) started in 1974. He served ACP as its Executive Vice President from 2004 till 2010. He worked as Secretary ACP in the past. An expert on mountain tourism and preservation of mountain environment, he has participated in several international tourism conferences at home and abroad representing ACP in various meetings of the International and Asian Union of Alpine Associations.
1035 Hours-Jehan Ara Mueen, General Secretary Adventure Foundation Pakistan
Member of the Board of Adventure Foundation Pakistan, which celebrated its 35th year this year . She did her post graduation from Strathclyde University in Environmental Education and worked with World wide Fund for Nature as head of their Environmental Education Programme. As a Board member of AFP, she is responsible for coordinating all outdoor education activities in the country. The AFP tries to inculcate in young people the love of outdoors. Eco-tourism is a very important component of AFP programme and its Indus Blind Dolphin was one of its flagship projects, which brought tourist local and international and also built the capacity of the communities to promote their crafts for income generation.
1045 Hours – Khadim Rasool, Secretary, Travel Agents Association of Pakistan.
1055 Hours- Irfan ullah Baig, President, Pakistan Association of Tour Operators
1105 Hours- Agha Iqrar Haroon, Honorary President, The Region Initiative (TRI)
Agha Iqrar Haroon is internationally known tourism expert and had been teaching tourism within Pakistan and abroad. He had been consultant to ministry of tourism Government of Pakistan in PTDC and also in Pakistan Austrian Institute for Tourism and Hotel Management Swat. He had been President of Ecotourism Society Pakistan (ESP) for ten years. He is founding member of Asian Ecotourism Network and Global Ecotourism Network. He is now Honorary President of the Region Initiative (TRI) that connects Central Asia South Asia and Eastern Europe through tourism networking. He has been given Excellence Award this week by the Govt of Kazakhstan for promoting Central Asia and Kazakhstan. Last year he had been teaching tourism networking Ecotourism and Village Tourism in Central Asia as expert of Silk Road destinations.
1115 Hours – Address by Raja Hassan Abbas, Secretary, Cabinet Division
1120 Hours- Address by Senator Pervaiz Rashid, Federal Minister for Information, Broadcasting and National Heritage
1130 Hours – Distribution of shields.
1140 Hours – Hi-tea
