The Tourism Corporation Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (TCKP) has launched a tour operating agency to promote tourism sector in the province. In this regard a ceremony was held at Tourist Information Centre, in which KP Minister for Tourism, Mehmood Khan was chief guest.
TCPK Managing Director, officials of Pakistan Tourism Development Corporations, Tour operators, USAID, NGOs and Ashraf Amaan who is the first Pakistani to reach the summit of K-2, also attended the function. Mehmood Khan informed the participants of the ceremony that tourism is the second biggest earning sector in the world and many countries of the world are taking steps to develop this industry through man-made efforts. Pakistan in general and KP in particular possesses vast resources of natural attractions for which no great investments have to be made.
"The present government of KP has given top priority to the tourism sector and is committed to promote and develop this sector by encouraging private sectors for promotion of tourism in the province", he added. During the ceremony the minister also highlighted some of the initiatives taken by the present government, which are known as 'Mega Tourism Projects' through public-private partnership basis, which are 4-5 star hotel, chairlift and Ski Resort at Malam Jabba, Swat, Tourism Resort at Galliat, chairlift project from Naran to Lake Saiful Maluk, Tourist Resort at Village Hund (Indus River on M1), Adventure Park in Gallyat, chairlift project at Mushkpuri, Miranjani and Shogran.
Speaking on the occasion the TCKP managing director said, "This is a big achievement of TCKP to launch tour operating agency for attracting inbound and especially outbound tourists to the archaeological sites of the KP. The said tour plans were shared at the recent World Tourism Exhibition at Berlin, Germany with the delegations of Japan, South Korea, Nepal, China, Maldives, Taiwan, Thailand etc. They appreciated our tour programme and promised to include the said programme in their visit itinerary."