ISLAMABAD – Italy is ready to extend technical and financial assistance forpromoting sustainable tourism in Pakistan which will eventually helpredress specificsocial issues.
Italian Ambassador to Pakistan Stefano Pontecovero held out the assuranceduring a meeting with Chairman National Tourism Coordination Board (NTCB)Sayed Zulfikar Abbas Bukhari on Wednesday.
The envoy said Italy was willing to extend technical assistance to Pakistanfor the execution of community-based projects in the tourism sector toalleviate poverty, generate income, and support youth employment.
Lauding Pakistani government’s steps for tourism promotion in the country,he said the opening of Kartarpur Corridor was a landmark initiative.
He said Prime Minister Imran Khan had emerged as a leader in the comity ofnations due to Pakistan’s remarkable foreign policy initiatives.
Zulfikar Bukhari, who is also Special Assistant to the Prime Minister onOverseas Pakistanis, assured the ambassador of his government’s fullsupport for the execution of Italian initiatives in tourism sector.
After the restructuring of Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation (PTDC),he said the government was planning to lease out the Corporation’s 40properties for 30 years in a bid to transform it into a profitable entity.A special cell for data analysis of the tourism sector was also being setup in the PTDC, he added.
He said the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government was enhancingcoordination with the provinces through NTCB to boost tourism.“Around 20billion US dollars will be added to the Pakistani economy, with thesuccessful development of tourism industry,” he remarked.
Zulfikar Bukhari said Pakistan had achieved a major milestone by openingthe Kartarpur Corridor which would eventually promote the religious tourismin Pakistan.
He said the government was working on the development of ‘Brand Pakistan’to project the country as a tourist haven that would eventually increaseinflux of foreign tourists.
He said the government, in collaboration with provinces, was developing theGandhara Corridor to attract tourists from the South East Asian Countries.
“Pakistan attaches great importance to sustainable tourism in Pakistan andwill focus on religious tourism, adventure tourism, cultural tourism, andtowards the growth of intangible cultural heritage,” he added.