Hotel industry in Pakistan on rapid growth

KARACHI: Hotels in the country are fully occupied and their rent of rooms have increased up to 150 percent as a result of restoration of law and order making Pakistan very attractive for foreign and local tourists , and foreign buyers.

This was stated by General Manager Beach Luxury Hotel Azeem Qureshi while speaking at the farewell programme hosted by Avari Hotels Group for Turkish Consul General in Karachi, Murat M. Onart on Wednesday late evening.

"Five or four star hotels are now selling a room up to Rs 15000 per day. Earlier, this rent at average was around Rs 6000," Qureshi said.

He said hotels played very important role in promotion of tourism. In the changed environment, more hotels were being set up in the country. Avari Hotels Group had also planned to set up new hotels in Multan. Faisalabad, Marri and two more hotels in Lahore next year.

He said Avari Hotels Group was making efforts to promote very positive perception of Pakistan in the country by expanding its network, and by keeping interaction with and providing maximum protocol to the foreign tourists and the diplomats in the country.

He appreciated the services Turkish Consul General Murat M. Onart during his six years stay in Karachi in bringing the two Muslim countries closer, which included increase in bilateral trade and investment.

Turkish Consul General said that he had very productive diplomatic years in Karachi and got very positive response from Karachi people.

"I felt myself in a very big family here, having a lot of love and respect," he remarked.

Besides elite of the city, the Consul Generals from France, Bahrain, Sri Lanka, Oman, Iran and Bangladesh were attended the farewell party.