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Pakistan to take advice from World Tourism Org
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ISLAMABAD: The World Tourism Organisation would be urged to help Pakistan revive its tourism sector, which among many others, suffered massive devastation in the recent flooding across the country.
Leading tour operators, whose businesses have been ruined due to floods, have urged the Ministry of Tourism and Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation (PTDC) to approach the world body for seeking help to restore tourism industry in the country.
The floods which caused colossal devastation across the country struck at a time when tourism was in full swing, especially in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Gilgit Baltistan.
Damages inflicted on tourism infrastructure in these areas are estimated to run in billions. Tourism was gradually getting momentum after successful military operation in Swat and Malakand.
It swept away what had been arduously resurrected after the deadly 2005 earthquake and years of militancy in these enthralling regions.
Apart from claiming so many human lives, the floods took serious toll on hotels, motels, bridges, roads, houses. It rendered thousands of people jobless, who were affiliated with tourism.
Flood wasn't very good in Naran-Kaghan and Gilgit-Baltistan either. It also caused widespread destruction there.
It would now be a challenging situation for the Ministry of Tourism, which is already struggling to get financial support for survival.
"If immediate steps aren’t being taken, tourism will be finished for ever," Najib Ahmad Khan, Vice President of Pakistan Private Tour Operators Association.
He was saddened over the losses done to the tourism sector, which was gaining life day by day following years of unrest, militancy and earthquake. Najib Khan called for according priority to tourism sector in relief activities.-APP
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