PESHAWAR, Dec 7: The Sarhad Tourism Corporation (STC), a provincial public sector organization responsible for developing tourism in the NWFP, has proposed promotion of the Gandhara civilization
and investments in various tourist spots to attract foreign and local tourists, according to official sources.
In its long-term tourism sector development plan, which would be part of the NWFP government's 'vigorous strategy for development', the STC has laid emphasis on the promotion of cultural heritage, more specifically the Gandhara civilization, to attract foreign tourists.
The STC's development plan also envisages execution of some 13 development projects in different parts of the province to improve facilities and communication network in parts of the province with tourism potential and to facilitate human resource development with more focus on the private sector.
According to official sources, it would require a total investment of more than Rs1.4 billion to materialize the projects envisaged under the tourism sector development plan.
The plan, which has been described by some development planners of the province as 'over ambitious', includes establishment of a training institute for human resource development with an investment of Rs500 million and a hostel in Swat to be built at a cost of Rs100 million.
Officials said the STC prepared the plan, which was now being fine tuned by the Planning and Development Department, NWFP, by engaging tourism experts belonging to private sector and technocrats with sufficient know-how about the tourism sector.
"The promotion of local tourism will attract not only national but also international tourists," contained an official document, adding that "the STC can generate a lot by developing and boosting its cultural heritage particularly Gandhara civilization."
The STC, according to its document, has based its optimism regarding giving boost to NWFP's tourism sector on a large number of foreign tourists who visit every year Takht Bhai's Budha monument, belonging to the Gandhara civilization.
In this respect, promotion of tourists' related facilities has been proposed in the districts of Dir (upper), Dir (lower) and Swabi, which are contiguous to Takht Bhai, for housing numerous relics and monuments of the Gandhara civilization.
Interestingly, according to its record, the list of development activities that have been proposed for promoting tourism sector in the NWFP does not include any project in Dir (upper), Dir (lower) and Swabi districts.
While the proposed plan asks for capitalizing on the cultural heritage of the province, more specifically on the Gandhara civilization, most of the development schemes envisaged under the plan pertain to areas which are known for tourism attraction other than Gandhara civilization.
It asks for the establishment of a hotel in Hazara on Naran road involving estimated cost of Rs80 million, an inn for tourists on the Indus Highway involving estimated cost of Rs40 million, a picnic spot for tourists at Sardaryab near Peshawar involving Rs50 million investment, a small hotel at Thandiani (in the Hazara region of the NWFP) with an estimated cost of Rs50 million and construction of the Thandiani-Nathiagali road with an estimated cost of Rs100 million.
Besides, development of rest areas along bridle path in the Galiyat region has also been proposed. It involves an estimated cost of Rs50 million. Whereas, another project, involving Rs50 million investment, has been proposed for installing water treatment facility at Kalam, in Swat valley, to purify water of Swat river that has been converted into a sewage channel by unscrupulous persons from among the hundreds of hotels constructed on its both banks.
Construction of a small hotel with restaurant has been proposed for Takht Bhai with an estimated cost of Rs40 million. Besides, an allocation of Rs150 million has been sought for carrying out a project for awareness raising among general public and private sector's entrepreneurs to promote tourism sector.
Raising awareness through advertising has been proposed as one of the tools that would be used under this project to 'sensitize' general public and entrepreneurs about the income generating opportunities entailed under the tourism sector.
An amount of Rs15 million has been sought for designing and executing a training programme for the officers of the tourism department. The programme also entails training abroad of officers to help them improve their capacity by learning the best practices applied in other countries to promote tourism sector.
With an investment of Rs200 million establishment of a 'small fleet of transport', including jeeps, double cabin pick-ups, coasters and buses, has also been proposed for improving facilities for the domestic and foreign tourists. The STC has proposed to the provincial government to take up its development programme with the World Bank for the provision of funds to materialize its proposed projects.
