Federal Minister for Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit-Baltistan Muhammad Barjees Tahir Monday said China Pakistan Economic Corridor would help boost the tourism industry in the country. He said that tourism was one of the important sectors for the growth of the economy. He said that in 2017, the tourism industry continued to make a real difference to the lives of millions of people by driving growth, creating jobs, reducing poverty and fostering development and tolerance.
The minister said that the Tourism industry contributed $7.6 trillion to the global economy, which was 10.2 per cent of global GDP and generated 292 million jobs in 2016. He said that government of Gilgit Balistan introduced a tourism policy with an aim to create job opportunities for the locals. He said that government had issued a number of permets during current season to the foreign tourists.
He said that promotion of tourism was top priority of the present government. Barjees Tahir said that it was good that the foriegn tourists flow increased in last few years as law and order situation improved in the country. He said that it was very important to create awareness about tourism among tourists for promotion of tourism in the country. He said that Pakistan stood 15 most attractive destination for the tourists in the globe. He said that present government has taken a number of steps for the promotion of tourism industry.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Gilgit Baltistan, Hafiz Hafeezur Rehman said here on Monday that the government has prepared comprehensive winter tourism policy to facilitate tourists in the province throughout the year. Under this policy, a state of the art chairlift at Naltar has been setup and such more facilities were being established at other scenic places, he said. Special focus was being made on promotion of peace, maintenance of law and order and infrastructure development imperative to promote tourism in GB.
Talking to media persons here, he said work on roads infrastructure were started and exemplary peace prevailed in the province due to the effective policies adopted by his government under the vision of former Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif. Tourism sector has been significantly improved, making positive effects on people’s economy owing to arrival of domestic and foreign tourists in large numbers in the province that was a good omen for the whole country.
PMLN Quaid Nawaz Sharif was taking keen interest in development of tourism sector in the province and mega projects were started including Gilgit-Skardu road costing Rs33 billion to facilitate tourists and people under his vision. With construction of this road, he said, the distance between Skardu and Gilgit would be reduced to two and half hours from six hours.—APP