ISLAMABAD: The Managing Director of Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation (PTDC), Aftab-Ur-Rehman Rana, has said that being a tourism attraction, Pakistan has initiated sustained efforts to boost and flourish tourism in the country in the account of a concrete move to increase the footfall of both domestic and international tourists, particularly in the post-COVID-19 scenario.
Talking to the official television channel, Rehman said PTDC has planned to organize a ‘Tourism Education conference’ in February to explore ways and venues how to introduce tourism as a subject in schools and establish more tourism academies to educate and make the youth aware of the subject.
Meanwhile, PTDC would introduce an awareness campaign through social media and electronic media platforms on ‘Responsible tourists’ to engage the key stakeholders within the school ecosystem to ensure the success of the transformative initiative, he said.
Rana further said that PTDC was also working on another project in collaboration with the health ministry to select five to six hospitals in various cities of the country to ensure quality health facilities for tourists. He said that the department was focusing on the health and wellness of tourists, where they could avail of the best surgery, transplant, Yoga, and other medical treatments and facilities.
MD PTDC also talked about promoting local tourism by educating tourists, adding that PTDC is also introducing a ‘National Calendar of Events’ in the coming days to help the tourist plan their holiday trips. He further said that being an attractive tourism country, Pakistan has a lot of potential to attract a large number of foreign tourists, adding that expatriate Pakistanis could also play a pivotal role in conveying the world about the country’s culture, religious tourism, eco-tourism, and Sikh heritage.
He apprised that the number of foreign tourists visited Pakistan in 2023 was 115 percent more than the previous year. He said that PTDC had launched a new website for online booking of hotels and motels with other basic information.
Improving Infrastructure for Quality Tourism
MD PTDC Rehman Rana further stated that Pakistan also has planned to improve its infrastructure, including airports, roads, and public transportation, to make it easier for tourists to travel within the country with ease.
He said that the country would come up with more attractive packages for international audiences in the near future through targeted marketing campaigns and partnerships with travel agencies and tour operators.
“We are introducing a project in which we would streamline and modernize our visa policies to make it easier for tourists to get visas and visit the country,” he concluded.
