Pakistan tourism stand, arranged at the three-day Beijing International Tourism Expo (BITE), clinched first prize of the best organised Stand Award in international category. The award was received by Ghulam Idrees Khan, Managing Director, Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation (PTDC) in a ceremony.
The Tourism Exhibition ended in Beijing on June 20. Over 20,000 people visited Pakistan stand, including travel agents, tour operators, representations of travel trade electronic and print media.
BITE 2009 was participated by around 281 public and private sector tourism organisations from 30 countries and destinations of the world. Pakistan's Tourism Industry was represented by a high level delegation led by Atta-ur-Rehman, Federal Minister for Tourism, Ghulam Idrees Managing Director PTDC Yasin Janjua Joint Secretary Tourism and Sheikh Fayyaz Ahmed Manager PTDC senior officers of the Ministry of Tourism, PIA and Tourism Development Corporation of Punjab along-with leading private sector tour operating agencies including Amjad Ayub, President of Pakistan Association of Tour Operators and General Manager, Pearl Tours, Adventure Tours Pakistan and Mountain Tours Pakistan.
Pakistan Pavilion was organised by PTDC in collaboration with Ministry of Tourism and the Press Section of Embassy of Pakistan in Beijing. The pavilion was tastefully decorated with big posters and pictures showing tourist and cultural heritage of Pakistan.
Long queues of Chinese women, girls and children were seen at the mehndi and bangles stall. Both items were very popular and the Chinese media shown special coverage of Pakistan Stand. Special tourist brochures in Chinese language, posters, give-away items like Pakistan flag pins, dry fruits were distributed free at the stand.
Pakistan stand was visited by Voice Mayor of Beijing City with other senior officers and Deputy Minister for Tourism of Syria who remained there and discussed with him the matters of mutual interest for promotion of tourism. International media representatives conducted interviews of the Minister and MD PTDC.