ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan Wednesday formed a National Coordination Committee on Tourism (NCCT), which will facilitate and coordinate the government's commitment to give tourism a priority in mainstream development.
The NCCT would facilitate and coordinate the government's commitment to give tourism a priority in mainstream development, and steer the country towards becoming the fastest growing tourism destination with a view to raise competitiveness of tourism industry and maximize utilisation of Pakistan's natural, cultural, historical, archeological, religious and geographical tourist assets for employment creation, poverty reduction, sustained economic growth, social inclusion and quality of life improvement, The NCCT comprising Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Overseas Convener Pakistanis and Human Resource Development, Secretary, Ministry of Industries and Production or his member representative not below BS-21, secretary, Ministry of Interior or his representative not member below BS-21, secretary Ministry of Defence or his representative not member below BPS-21, secretary, Ministry of Communication or his member representative not below BS-21, secretary, Ministry of Aviation or his representative not member below BS-21, secretary, Ministry of Religious Affairs and Inter-Faith Harmony or his representative not below BS-21 member, secretary, Ministry of Climate Change or his member representative not below BS-21, all chief secretaries or additional chief secretaries, chairman, Evacuee Trust Property Board, deputy governor, State Bank of Pakistan, and managing director, Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation.
Terms of Reference of the NCCT included; (i) the committee will oversee and review implementation of national tourism strategy and integration of provincial and regional policies;(ii) act as a focal point for inter-provincial, inter-ministerial, inter-departmental and inter-agency coordination to resolve implementation issues with respect to tourism development;(iii) Geo-mapping and profiling of all the tourist spots and tourism and hospitality business and products will also come under the scope of the committee; (iv) identify barriers to tourism development with complete recommendations for their removal to create an enabling environment for tourism sector; (v) devise effective regulatory and implementation mechanism of national minimum standards; (vi) promote investments through public private partnership and small and medium enterprises; (vii) suggest measures to promote formal training of manpower engaged with the tourism industry for capacity building; (viii) ensure monitoring and coordination with all stakeholders for its strict compliance and hold fortnightly meetings to review progress etc.
The convener will brief the prime minister fortnightly on impediments, recommendations for improvement, and overall progress on implementation of the prime minister's guidelines and directions.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2020