PESHAWAR, Jan 11: Federal Tourism Minister Nilofar Bakhtiar on Thursday said that travel advisories by some countries were affecting the tourism industry in Pakistan. "We need to improve our image and project a 'soft image' through media," she said while inaugurating the “Visit Pakistan Year 2007” here. She claimed that for the first time a marketing strategy had been adopted to project places in Pakistan with potential of tourism.

Ms Bakhtiar said that talks with the Foreign Office were going on to relax visa rules for tourists and pilgrims from India.

For the first time a `tourist column’ is being inserted in the visa form to facilitate tourists from abroad. Twenty-four countries will be given visa facility on arrival in case the tourist group comprises more than 10 people.

She said that the tourism policy should not be criticised as green channels were open for foreign tourists and vocational training was given to service-providers like cooks, taxi-drivers, waiters and tour operators at centres in four cities.

The tourism minister said that the launching of Visit Pakistan Year was delayed by one year because of the October 8, 2005 earthquake. The ministry with the help of the public-private partnership had put selected places with developed infrastructure, she said.

The main focus is on domestic tourists and the ministry is taking steps to improve hotels and others services. She said that roads leading to tourist resorts were dilapidated and hotels were not sufficient.

She said that Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation (PTDC) hotels were privatised and motels were on the privatisation list so that their services could be improved.

Main events of the VPY-2007 include Lahore marathon, Pakistan tourism fair Lahore, battle of bands (a music competition), Sibi mela, national skiing championship in Malam Jabba, Thar desert festival and marathon with cultural programme in Umarkot Fort, Jashan-e-Baharan, Cholistan jeep rally with cultural programme, spring blossom festival Northern Areas, Channan Pir festival, tour of Islamabad, international women's day with Cholistani women, Gandahara week , Mehrgarh conference in Quetta, Baisakhi mela, adventure/extreme sports, train safari, Chitral and Kalash festival, white water rafting Saarc tourism mart, golden jubilee celebrations of the first ascent of Broad Peak and expedition, Shogran, Shandur, Hunza, Broghil festivals, Karakoram car rally, mountain marathon, freedom jeep rally and other events for domestic and foreign tourists.

The minister said that she had came to Peshawar to discuss with the NWFP government if other events could be included in the calendar as the NWFP and especially the Northern Areas had potential for adventure and religious tourism.