Exponential rise of tourism in Pakistan: Nafees Zakaria
Pakistan Tourism Pavilion representing all federating units of Pakistan was inaugurated at the World Travel Market (WTM) at ExCel London today.
High Commissioner Mohammad Nafees Zakaria along with Governor Gilgit-Baltistan Raja Jalal Hussain Maqpoon, Senior Minister KP Atif Khan, Minister Tourism Gilgit-Baltistan Fida Khan, Minister Works Gilgit-Baltistan Dr Muhammad Iqbal and Minister Tourism AJK Mushtaq Minhas inaugurated the Pakistan Tourism Pavilion. The WTM venue was thronged by thousands of potential tourists and tour operators.
Speaking at the inaugural ceremony, the High Commissioner said Pakistan is blessed with tourism attractions for people from every walk of life and has the most beautiful and serene places on earth. That’s why, he said, Pakistan is witnessing exponential rise in tourism. Be it religious tourism, eco-tourism, adventure tourism, sports tourism, mountaineering, or trekking, Pakistan offers abundant opportunities for the tourists, he added. Mr Zakaria said the land of Pakistan is a cradle of ancient civilizations and has been a great attraction for the historians, researchers and travel writers for centuries.
The High Commissioner appreciated the organizers of the Pavilion and said that would help our tourism marketing in reaching further and deeper, through social networks, B2B meetings, partnerships and media. He said showcasing Pakistan’s tourism opportunities at the international travel shows like WTM would attract more tourists to Pakistan.
The visiting Governor and Ministers also interacted with media as well as foreign tourists who showed up at the Pakistan Pavilion and briefed them about tourism potential of Pakistan. They hoped that by participating in the WTM, the tourism officials and tour operators of Pakistan would get an insight into the global travel industry to harness endless opportunities in tourism sector of the country.
Embellished with the colours of Gilgit-Baltistan, Balochistan, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab, Azad Jammu & Kashmir and Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation (PTDC), the Pakistan Pavilion attracted a large number of travel enthusiasts, representatives of international travel companies, media and bloggers. The Pavilion was adorned with cultural objects like traditional dresses, handicrafts and artefacts as well as promotional material like brochures, pamphlets, posters and TV screens presenting cultural diversity and multi-faceted heritage of Pakistan.
The Pakistan Pavilion was also focus of those who had previously visited Pakistan for tourism and were excited to visit again to explore more of the country.
WTM London is one of the largest travel shows in the world and introduces global travel buyers to over 5,000 of the biggest destinations and brands in the world. The show will continue from 4-6 November 2019.
