RAWALPINDI: A two-day photography exhibition showcasing Pakistan’s natural beauty began on Wednesday.

Arranged by the Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation (PTDC) at a local hotel, Federal Education Minister Balighur Rehman was invited as the chief guest and PTDC officials and a number of people attended the event.

Some images featured scenes from Azad Kashmir to the Arabian Sea, while others highlighted local culture and society. The displayed images were shot by professional photographers and photojournalists, and before the exhibition the PTDC also held a competition and displayed the best photos.

The PTDC also organised a seminar to the mark World Tourism Day 2017, titled ‘Sustainable Tourism – a Tool for Development’.

Speaking at the seminar, Mr Rehman said peace was vital for tourism and the improved law and order situation has paved the way for positive changes, including a healthy influx of international visitors.

He noted that the number of domestic and international tourists has increased since peace was restored in the country in the last few years. He said the government was committed to promoting tourism and development tourist sites.

The minister expressed hope that since tourism has now been devolved, provinces will work efficiently to promote it. He said the government’s steps to promote tourism would help gear up the tourism industry so it becomes a major sector of the national economy in the near future.

He said the federal government had started work to revive the new tourism policy, and Pakistan gives tourists the opportunity to see the natural sights, ancient civilisations and cultural diversity of the region.

Mr Rehman said the government is also working on reviving PTDC as a national tourism organisation, and its new role would include interprovincial coordination in tourism marketing on the national and international level, tourism planning and policymaking and tourism market research in addition to its normal functions.

“The promotion of religious tourism is also in focus, which can bring a large number of Buddhist, Sikh and Hindu devotees from all over the world. We have approached international tourism organisations like the UN World Tourism Organisation and the Pacific Asia Travel Association to support us by relaxing the negative travel advisories of Western countries,” he said.

“The natural beauty of Pakistan is unmatched. Pakistan is blessed with tremendous potential for the development of tourism in all four provinces, Azad Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan. The country is blessed with a variety of terrain, climate, fauna and flora, combined with a rich blend of socio-cultural diversity,” he added.

“There are no two views on the importance of sustainable development of the tourism industry as a major source of foreign exchange earnings, a tool of job creation and poverty alleviation and, above all, creating harmony among people from different parts of the country. Its ability to sustain even the poorest on the economic ladder has been proven many times,” he said.

Aftabur Rehman Rana, the president of the Sustainable Tourism Foundation Pakistan also gave a presentation on ‘Tourism in Pakistan and Sustainable Tourism’, and a message from PTDC Managing Director Ch. Abdul Ghafoor was also read out by General Manager Ali Akbar Malik.

Pakistan Association of Tour Operators President Syed Sajjad Hussain Shah and a member of the PTDC’s board of directors, Irfanullah, also spoke at the seminar.

Published in Dawn, September 28th, 2017