Peshawar - Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Mahmood Khan on Thursday termed promotion of tourism activities as one of the top priorities of his government and said that the government was taking pragmatic steps to develop tourism as an industry to create job opportunities for the people of the province.  

Presiding over a progress review meeting of Tourism Department at Chief Minister House, Mahmood Khan expressed satisfaction over the progress so far made on development projects initiated by the department. He directed the high ups of the department to take all necessary steps for timely completion and rehabilitation of access roads to tourist’s spots in Malakand and Hazara region and to give special attention to schemes initiated under Integrated Tourism Zones (ITZ) Project. 

Member KP Assembly Mian Sharafat Ali, Secretary Tourism Abid Majeed, Principal Secretary to KP CM Shahab Ali Shah and others attended the meeting. 

The meeting was briefed in detail about outsourcing of public rest houses, Integrated Tourism Zones, public sector development projects, construction of access roads to tourism spots and development schemes reflected in current Annual Development Programme (ADP). The meeting was told that during last financial year cent percent utilisation of funds against released amount was ensured while Rs910 million had been utilised so far out of total Rs2916 million allocated for new and ongoing projects of Tourism Department during current financial year. 

Briefing the forum about outsourcing of government rest houses, it was informed that 128 rest houses out of total 168 would be re-advertised for outsourcing next month. Five rest houses in Nathiagali have been transferred to the Tourism Department under the Integrated Tourism Zones (ITZ) programme, four ITZ sites at Mansehra, Abbottabad, Lower Chitral and Swat have been approved adding that these projects would be ready in all respect for launching by June next year.  

Similarly, survey on eight new ITZ sites has been conducted and would soon be presented to relevant forum for approval. 

These new sites include Kalash Valley Lower Chitral, Shahi Lower Dir, Jaroga Fall Swat, Marghzar DaK, Buner, Mahabanar Buner, Ilum valley Buner, Serene and Mamoor vallies district Mansehra.  

Furthermore, Under the PSDP projects, feasibility studies have been approved for development of resorts at Takht-e-Suleman D.I.Khan, Garam chashma district Chitral, Chapri and Shalzone district Kurram, Sheikh Baden Lakki and Takhtbhai district Mardan whereas negotiations with the concerned company are also in final stages for the execution of these projects. 

Similarly, feasibility of 14km long Kumrat Cable Car project is being prepared whereas progress on Ayubia Chairlift Project is also underway. The forum was apprised that under the public private partnership initiatives, work on the feasibility studies for development of Hund Theme Park Swabi and Mahodand Lake Swat was in progress.  

Besides this, PC-1 for the project of 1175 kanal motorsports arena at Kheshgi Nowshera is being converted into investment plan. It was further informed that under the development programme of tourists spots in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, various schemes including development of six waterfalls, four tourists sites and construction of three access roads have been approved by PDWP. Development of 52.5km long access roads in Malakand division and 60km long access roads of Hazara division is also the part of current developmental programme.  

Moreover PC-1 of World Bank assisted access roads project would be approved in next month. The authorities informed that survey was underway for the establishment of rest areas in the various tourist zones of the province adding that facility of rest area after each 10 to 15km or each 40 to 60 minutes drive would be available in which separate units would be provided to special persons.  

In order to promote heritage tourism, 134 sign boards have also been installed at Mardan, Swat Motorway, Takhtbhai, Jamal Garhi and Shahbaz Garhi to facilitate tourists whereas task has also been ordered for the installation of 130 sign boards in Swat.