The nine-member task force, constituted for reviving of the tourism and hotel industry in the quake-hit areas, will meet on Wednesday to evolve a feasible strategy to rebuild the infrastructure in the affected areas.
The task force was constituted on the directive of President Pervez Musharraf to chalk out an effective scheme for immediate revival of the hotel industry in these areas, which are considered hub of tourism.
Federal Minister for Tourism Nelofar Bakhtiar is chairman of the task force, while Federal Ministers for Industries and Information, State Ministers for Finance, Economic Affairs Division, Environment and Railways, Chairman of Earthquake Relief and Reconstruction Authority (Erra) and Federal Secretary Tourism are its members.
Sources told Business Recorder here on Tuesday that according to the assessment report, conducted by the economic analysis wing of the Ministry of Tourism, the hotel industry in the quake-hit areas of Azad Kashmir and NWFP suffered losses of about Rs 762 million in the October 8 earthquake.
Like others, the hotel industry also suffered extensive damage in Muzaffarabad, Bagh, Rawlakot, Naran, Kaghan, Besham, Shogran and Mansehra.
According to the report, there were at least 145 hotels in the earthquake affected areas, out of which 110 hotels were totally or partially damaged, registering an estimated loss of Rs 762.59 million.
The report said that there were 46 hotels in AJK, out of which 41 were totally or partially damaged, costing Rs 286 million.
In NWFP's quake-hit areas, 69 hotels were reported to be completely or partially damaged out of total 108. The loss was estimated at Rs 455 million. Four motels belonging to Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation (PTDC) were also damaged in NWFP, causing Rs 22 million loss.
There were 19 hotels in Muzaffarabad, while 18 were completely damaged, causing a loss of Rs 216.17 million. And 11 out of 12 hotels collapsed in Bagh with an estimated loss of Rs 36.55 million. Out of 15 hotels in Rawlakot, 12 were damaged costing Rs 33.34 million.
All 20 hotels were totally damaged in Balakot, with an estimated loss of Rs 117.47 million. At least 30 hotels were damaged in Shogran and the estimated loss was Rs 129.45 million, while loss of Rs 120 million was estimated for four out of 32 damaged hotels in Kaghan/Naran.
Four out of the nine hotels were totally or partially damaged in Mansehra, causing an estimated loss of Rs 8.2 million, while in Besham 9 out of 12 hotels were damaged and the loss was estimated at Rs 46.31 million.
Two hotels were partially damaged in Batgram, with an estimated loss of Rs 1.6 million. Four PTDC motels at Balakot, Chattar Plain, Besham and Naran were also damaged, which will be reconstructed at a cost of Rs 22 million, the report added.
SAARC MINISTERIAL MEETING Sources said that Federal Minister for Tourism, Nelofar Bakhtiar, would represent Pakistan at the second meeting of Tourism Ministers of the South Asian Association for Regional Co-operation (Saarc), to be held in Bangladesh on May 21.
The meeting aims at promoting regional tourism among the member countries. Federal Secretary Tourism Salim Gul Sheikh will attend the officials' meeting of the member countries on May 20, where proposals and recommendations for the promotion of regional tourism would be formulated for the ministerial meeting.
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