Daily Times

Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation has said that development of tourism e-portal was underway and would be completed shortly to provide a one- window online solution to the tourists.

In a written reply in the National Assembly, the Pakistan Development Corporation (PTDC) said that promotional activities on social media were being carried out vigorously to project Pakistan as an attractive tourist destination of the region.

The e-visa system for over 90 countries and visa on arrival for 50 countries was introduced for the first time in Pakistan to boost tourists’ arrival. The department said draft national minimum standards for tourism and hospitality sector had been developed, while coverage of PTDC and tourist attractions on print and electronic media had also been increased substantially to attract local and foreign tourists. Pakistan Tourism Development Endowment Fund (PTDEF) has been created with seed money of Rs1 billion to promote tourism in the country.

The government has set up an endowment fund of Rs1bn to execute its marketing plans for promotion of the country’s unexplored scenic sites and tourist resorts at local and international level. PTDC has also designed a ten-year roadmap National Tourism Strategy (NTS), 2020-2030 to uplift the tourism industry. A five-year action plan (2020-25) had also been introduced for the promotion of tourism. The government has restructured the Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation (PTDC), according to its new role as a coordination body; it is to shift its model from an operator to a policymaker and regulator.