Pakistan will announce a comprehensive plan within next couples of weeks to attract tourists from friendly countries, including China, Japan and Korea.
This was stated by Federal Tourism Minister Nilofar Bakhtiar, while talking to newsmen at a three-day international exhibition opened here on Thursday.
A special stall has been step up at the exhibition to promote Pakistan's rich potential in the tourism sector, jointly organised by the Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation, PIA and Pakistan Embassy in Beijing.
Six leading Pakistani tour operators are also attending the exhibition. Those who visited the exhibition included Balochistan Tourism Minister Syed Sher Jan Baloch and Pakistan Ambassador Salman Bashir.
Nilofar said the proposed plan has already been submitted to the prime minister for his approval. It envisages short and long-term strategy to attract foreign tourists. She said in the first phase, about 12 countries will be targeted for inviting tourists by giving them special tour package. It will include provision of 30-day visa on their arrival at the airport, she added.
The federal minister said President Pervez Musharraf and Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz attached special importance promoting 'people-to-people' with China, through tourism.
She told APP in an interview that agreement has been arrived at between Pakistani and Chinese tour operators for attracting tourists from their respective countries. The Chinese government has already granted Pakistan an Authorised Destination Status (ADS).
The minister, who was here on a six-day visit to China, was scheduled to hold a meeting with Chinese tour operators on Friday to seek their proposals developing bilateral co-operation in the tourism sector.
The government, she added, has already declared 2007 visit Pakistan year; during which special events will be arranged on monthly basis to project the country's tourism industry. According to the officials of China National Tourism Administration (CNTA), the two countries have already exchanged lists of approved tour operators and travelling agencies. This was aimed at helping the tour operators to arrange tour groups to each other country for strengthening the tourism industry.
Sources said Pakistan could be the most attractive place for the Chinese tourists, if the departments concerned offer special group-tour packages, reducing airfare, relaxing visa facility and arranging a reasonable accommodation.
Comments
Comments are closed.