CM-led meeting decides to start series of cultural activities across province
PESHAWAR: Chief Minister Mahmood Khan on Monday chaired a high-level meeting on tourism sector and sought feasibility reports on all tourist sports besides deciding to kick off a series of cultural activities throughout the province.
The chief minister said that spring festivals should mark inauguration of those cultural events to provide opportunity to people for recreation and highlight potential of the tourism sector, which could contribute optimally towards the national exchequer, he added.
He said the government was deploying more resources for uplift of tourism sector and added that all schemes of the sector should start by March besides operationalisation of tourism authority in three months.
Similarly, he said that under 21 games, national youth carnival and talent hunt programme should be immediately started, adding that tourism resorts should be identified for summer season in southern districts of the province which would not only promote domestic tourism, but will also attracts foreign tourists.
The chief minister directed for expediting work on Arbab Niyaz Stadium so that it may be made ready for holding Pakistan Super League Cricket tournament next year.
He said that Prime Minister Imran Khan also served as tourism ambassador of the country for whole world and carved a niche for the country’s tourism sector on international level as a result of his pragmatic measures.
He said the government had taken a number of measures for uplift of tourism sector and helpline had been established for facilitating tourists, adding telecom marketing and stalls would put up to attract more tourists.
He said the government also accorded priority to the welfare of merged districts and added it had been decided to hold extracurricular activities for the youth of the tribal districts.
During briefing it was told that tourist facilitation spots would be ready till next season in Peshawar, Malakand and Hazara divisions. It was told that construction of 15 access roads to tourist spots was going through tender phase.
The chief minister directed to speed up pace of loan-in grant programme for provision of employment opportunities to youth.
He said guidance should be provided to facilitate youth on establishing their business in order to fully capitalize on the Prime Minister Imran’s vision on tourism promotion. - APP