MINGORA: A 50-member group, including researchers, students and tourism professionals, visited different archaeological sites of Swat during their two-day trip to the district, which was aimed at promoting the rich cultural and archaeological heritage of the area.

The trip was organised by Sustainable Tourism Foundation Pakistan (STFP) in collaboration with the Tourism Corporation of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Students and researchers of Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, University of Peshawar, National University of Science and Technology and University of Swat were part of group that visited the sites, including historical Buddhist city of Bazira at Barikot, Amlukdara Stupa, Butkara Stupa and recently renovated Swat museum.

A seminar on archaeological tourism was also held at a local hotel in Mingora, which was addressed by renowned archaeologist Dr Luca Maria Olivaieri, head of the Italian archaeological mission in Swat.

He told the participants of the trip that Swat had a rich historical past and it had been described as Uddiyana -- the garden -- in the ancient Buddhist literature.

He said that archaeologists had documented over 400 sites from Buddhist to Islamic period in about 200 square kilometres in Barikot.

The participants encouraged tourists to visit Swat where complete peace had been restored. A documentary highlighting the recent archaeological excavations in lower Swat valley was also screened on the occasion.

During their visit to Swat museum and Butkara Stupa, curator of the museum Faizur Rehman briefed the delegation about the history of the stupa and museum, which was constructed by Italian mission in 1959 and opened to public on November 10, 1963.

Amjad Ayub, president of Pakistan Tour Operators Association, told Dawn that Swat had remained a centre of attraction for tourists since long, adding that there were a lot of Buddhist sites, which could play their role in promotion of cultural tourism.

“A message should be conveyed to the world that Swat is now a peaceful place so that tourism of the area could be promoted,” he said. Mr Ayub said that economic revolution could be brought in the area by promoting cultural tourism.

Nida Ibrahim, studying in NUST, said that she came to Swat for the first time and was quite happy. Prof Mohammad Arif said that archaeological sites of Swat needed better preservation.

“There is no proper protection and the local people easily enter the historical sites,” he said and added that unchecked movement of people could harm the sites.

Zarmina Ikram, consultant TCKP, said that such trips should be arranged in future, as they played a major role in promotion of tourism. Aftab Rana, president of STFP, said that the trip was aimed at promoting cultural tourism in Swat.