Islamabad - Tourism Development Corporation of Punjab (TDCP) has agreed to join hands with Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation (PTDC) for the promotion of domestic and international tourism activities in the country.

This was decided under a meeting held with Managing Director PTDC with Ahmer Malik, Managing Director Tourism Development Corporation of Punjab (TDCP) said.

Abdul Ghafoor Managing Director PTDC said tourism Sector in Pakistan has a great potential to grow and bring foreign exchange and increase in tourist flow in the country.

He said that all tourism and culture related federal and provincial departments and organizations must join hands to work together for portraying a vibrant tourist friendly image of Pakistan, which is the need of time. He added that during its tenure this government had provided the people of Pakistan with a network of motorways, metro bus, orange line train and the China Pakistan Economic Corridor, which was no doubt a game changer for the whole region.

There was a huge scope for federal and provincial tourism organisations to develop tourism projects along this corridor that included accommodation, food chain, spa and recreational facilities etc.

For the purpose, all tourism stakeholders will be invited even from the neglected sectors of tourism to revive this precious sector.

Ghafoor said that there were countless holy places of Sikhs, Hindus and Buddhist lie in Punjab, where PTDC and TDCP could jointly provide tourist facilities to the pilgrims and devotees not only on their sacred days but throughout the year. In addition, “We will beautify the banks of canal on Changa Manga to attract more local tourists”, he remarked.

He further said that in addition to tourism promotion the Prime Minister had also assigned PTDC to work on preservation and restoration of historical sites in Pakistan with the help of provincial governments.

He added that as per previous practice PTDC was considering participating in international tourism and travel exhibitions in collaboration with Provincial tourism organizations, airlines, hoteliers and tour operators which not only creates awareness about Pakistan but also results in increase of tourist influx to the country.

Ahmer Malik, MD Punjab Tourism said that TDCP was playing an effective role in promotion and development of tourism in Punjab.

“We have developed many resorts and re-creational facilities all over the province. TDCP was also actively involved in presentation and maintenance of historical and Cultural Sites.”

He added that by improvement in law and order situation in the country, tourism activities in Pakistan were flourishing and number of tourists increased over the past years. “We also look forward to PTDC, TDCP and other tourism organisations to make joint ventures in Pakistan”, he said.