ICCI urges Pak Ambassadors to play role in promoting tourism potential of Pakistan

The Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI) on Friday called upon the Pakistani diplomats to play role in promoting tourism potential of Pakistan in their host countries as Pakistan has immense potential to attract tourists from around the world to its unparalleled scenic sites and wonderful landscapes.

Khalid Iqbal Malik, President, ICCI said that tourism creates plenty of jobs, alleviates poverty and contributes significantly to the economic development of a country. He said that Pakistan has places in Northern Areas, Azad Kashmir, Lahore, Moenjodaro, Thatta and in many other areas that are ranked best in the world for tourism, but Pakistan is still unexplored for tourism due to which the country could not realize its full economic potential as yet.

He said that tourism has emerged as a leading industry in the world with a global economic contribution of US$ 7.6 trillion and global tourism revenue of US$ 1.26 trillion in 2016. He said tourism is contributing 10% of global GDP and 6 percent of the world's total exports, but unfortunately no serious efforts have been made in Pakistan so far to exploit its huge potential for the economic development of the country.

He said that law and order situation in tourist destinations of Pakistan has improved significantly. He urged that Pakistani diplomats in foreign countries should develop brochures and publicity material on tourist resorts of Pakistan for display in their missions and distribute them among key stakeholders in host countries for better marketing of Pakistan's tourism potential. He stressed that government should give targets to Pakistani diplomats for promoting tourism in host countries and they should be made accountable for their performance on this account.

He said that tourism is the only industry that offers quickest return on investment as compared to other industries that take years in generating profits and government should give priority focus to develop its tourism sector. He said that more than one billion international tourists are now traveling the world each year due to which the tourism has become a powerful force for poverty alleviation, jobs creation and sustainable as well as inclusive economic growth of a country.

Khalid Iqbal Malik appreciated the initiative of Pakistan's High Commission in Britain for promoting Pakistan's branding through London's iconic red double-decker buses under the theme of “Emerging Pakistan” as a part of celebrations for 70th Independence Anniversary of Pakistan.

He stressed that other Pakistani foreign missions should take similar initiatives to promote tourism and culture of Pakistan in their host countries that would help in attracting more tourists and accelerating the pace of economic development of the country.