PESHAWAR, Oct 3 Militancy and recent floods may have kept visitors away from tourist attractions in Swat and other areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, but this has not dented the will of provincial government to defeat terrorism with tourism.

Set up in Victorian red-bricked building, the Peshawar Museum these days gives a deserted look. Flocks of foreign tourists, mostly from Buddhist countries, would once specially come to the museum to see Buddha's rare statues.

To revive this trend and also encourage domestic tourism, a tourist information centre, equipped with skilful staff and high-tech facilities, is using its resources to disseminate information and plan events so that more and more tourists could be attracted and facilitated.

“Domestic tourism is our main focus now,” says Mohammad Ali Syed, manager tourist information centres (TIC) and events. He said that successful public entertainment events such as food festival, concerts, sports gala and polo matches were held at various tourist attractions where public participated without any fear.

A yak polo festival was held for the first time in far-flung idyllic Baroghal, he said.

“We are publishing brochures and post-cards to inform domestic tourists about the tourist attractions in the province. A TIC at Donga Gali started working this summer and one such centre will be set up in Abbottabad this year. One TIC will be set up in Islamabad's Jinnah Super Market and another in Chitral is on the cards,” said Mr. Syed.

The province has suffered about $400 million losses during the last eight years due to war on terror, said provincial tourism minister Syed Aqil Shah recently while showing his concern at the destruction of tourism sector in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Officials have not yet collected data of flood devastation in tourism sector, but the number of foreign tourists had already dropped due to militancy. Despite challenging circumstances, Sarhad Tourism Corporation (STC) has planned to develop tourist spots.

STC general manager Mushtaq Khan said that the STC was setting up a tourist resort over 19 kanals at Nathia Gali. He said that this tourist resort would specially cater to the needs of middle class families and help in promotion of affordable domestic tourism. He said that Naraan would also be developed for tourist activities.

“We are also working on Green Kalam hotel in militancy-hit Swat area so that tourism could be revived in this valley. Rest houses and parks will be developed at Behrain and more tourist activities will be held to revive tourism in this region, he said.

Encouraging domestic tourists to explore new places in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa seems sensible as figures show that the number of foreign tourists visiting this region has dropped sharply during last few years. About 854,905 foreign tourists visited Pakistan during 2009, states the tourism 'facts and figures' of last year compiled by the ministry of tourism.