KP Tourism Department initiates projects worth Rs.17bn

PESHAWAR: Department of Tourism, Culture, Sports and Archaeology Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has initiated projects worth of Rs.17 billion for promotion of tourism during calendar year 2020, said a performance report of the department released here Thursday.

Beside, the establishing of an autonomous authority for tourism and culture, the department has also established development authorities for tourism attractive areas like Kalam, Kumrat, Kalash and tourism complex in Peshawar.

Similarly, in collaboration with World Bank, the Department of Tourism has also initiated a sustainable tourism development project (KITE), lease out of 169 official rest houses to private sector, tourism and recreational activities at agriculture-oriented water reservoirs, tourist facilitation centres and rest places.

The Tourism Department during last year has also organized a Tourists’ Mela at Broghal, Chitral and framed policies for the promotion of tourism. For promotion of tourism in southern districts, a road project to touristic spot Sheikh Badin has been prepared. The project will cost Rs.3.4 billion.

The department has also approved an amount of Rs. 2 billion for formulation of tourism police force to facilitate tourists, advertising of necessary posts, further development of tourists spots and provision of facilitating of tourists.

Furthermore, for the promotion of tourism in the newly merged districts, the department has initiated projects worth Rs.3 billion while a special tourism wing has also been established for timely completion of tourism sector schemes.

The department has also established environment-friendly camping pods at various tourists’ spots while work on establishment at more such places is in progress.

For the promotion of tourism, the provincial government has also decided the establishment of Integrated Tourism Zones (ITZs) and under that plan international standard tourism centres are being established at Mankiyal (Swat), Mad Ghast (Chitral), Thandiani (Abbottabad) and Mansehra respectively.

According to performance report of Tourism Department, four projects have been launched in the province. Under that the initiative tourism centres would be established in Kumrat (Dir Upper), Bin Shahi (Dir Lower), Sky Land, Laram Top, Alai, Battagram and Shangla.