CHITRAL, Aug 2: The participants of a seminar here have asked the government to positively change and update its tourism policy at the national level, so that the country’s tourism potential could be fully tapped.

The two-day seminar was organized by Sarhad Tourism Corporation (STC) in collaboration with the district administration and PTDC in Chitral.

The speakers proposed that Chitral’s culture be portrayed in all the national museums, and events arranged to attract tourists to this part of the country, rich as it is in natural beauty.

They also recommended that before policy formulation, local experts of target areas must be consulted and their suggestions incorporated.

Secretary NWFP Sports, Culture and Tourism Department, Sahibzada Mohammad Khalid, stressed the local government and representatives of different organizations to work for the preservation and integration of local culture and to unlock the area’s tourism potential.

He suggested establishing an information centre so that the visitors could be entertained in an excellent way.

The seminar speakers heaped praises on Chitral’s cultural heritage, its scenic beauty, mountain chain, literature and other aspects of its life.

The experts highlighted the overall capacity of tourism in the area and identified different hurdles in the way of exploiting it.