CHITRAL, Jan 15: Speakers at a function here on Saturday stressed the need for revival of tourism industry to create employment opportunities and reduce poverty in the area.

The function was held to distribute certificates among the trainees of a three-month course on hotel management, jointly sponsored by Pak-Austria Institute of Tourism and Hotel Management (Paithom) and National Vocational and Technical Education Commission (Navtec).

Eighty youths of the district were imparted training during the course.

Addressing on the occasion, Mohamad Hanif, Sher Aga, Shah Murad Baig and Amir Mohammad said that although Chitral was not hit directly by terrorism, yet its tourism industry was badly affected.

They said that ideal situation of peace and tranquility persisted in the area, which was mostly cherished by the tourists. There were fabulous sites to lure the tourists, they added.

The speakers said that a crash programme should be envisaged and implemented to revive the tourism. “The tourism industry has been badly affected and thousands of people are left jobless,” they added.

They eulogised the training programme for the youth, saying it would enable them to get jobs.

Speaking about the training programme, a representative of Paithom, said that the training module consisted of house keeping, beverage and food preparation and service.