Peshawar: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government has allocated PKR 2 billion for promoting tourism in different districts of the Malakand division, a news source quoted Provincial Minister of KP for Tourism Atif Khan.
Addressing a delegation of elected representatives from the Malakand Division, the tourism minister assured that the KP government would develop Kohistan, Buner, Swat, and Dir districts with proper planning. He added that they would construct all the roads leading to the province’s scenic locations with the help of financial assistance from the World Bank (WB) and other partners in a bid to enhance the tourism sector.
The minister said that the provincial government was aiming to introduce KP as a tourism brand to the world in order to attract more tourists. He added that KP was rich in tourist spots, but these areas required exploration and development. He opined that tourism was a key driver for the socioeconomic progress of the province and its people, along with presenting a positive image.
Khan revealed that they have identified more than 20 tourist spots so far. He added that they would convert these into tourist zones under the Tourism Act 2019. He said the authorities concerned would also extend the tourism zones to the newly merged tribal districts to boost a healthy atmosphere in the areas, along with creating jobs.
The minister said that the KP government would ensure the availability of comprehensive facilities at these tourist zones including:
Khan told the meeting that they would hire the services of consultants to support the proper planning of the tourism zones. In addition to creating job opportunities for the locals, the provincial government would also impart training to them on how to help the visitors tour the areas.
The minister also took note of the sewerage problem in Naran and Kumrat valleys due to the disorderly construction of hotels.
