LAHORE: The Punjab government on Tuesday established the Punjab Tourism & Heritage Authority to accelerate tourism development and heritage preservation in the province.

The Punjab Assembly had passed the Punjab Tourism & Heritage Authority Act 2025 two days ago.

The Punjab Tourism, Archaeology and Museums Department spokesman said that the authority would serve as a single-window institution for policy-making, regulation, development planning, investment promotion and coordination of all tourism and heritage functions in the province.

The chief minister would lead the authority as chairperson, supported by the provincial minister for tourism as vice chairperson, and provincial secretaries of tourism, finance, P&D, local government, environment, forestry & wildlife and Auqaf, along with the managing director tourism, director general WCLA, director general archaeology, director Lahore Museum, director general PHA, two members of the Punjab Assembly and four private-sector experts from tourism and heritage fields, ensuring fully integrated and efficient decision-making.

The authority has been empowered to formulate and enforce tourism policies, preserve archaeological and cultural heritage, regulate service standards, levy fees and fines, issue licenses, appoint inspection teams, introduce digital systems including a centralised tourism database, promote public-private partnerships, raise financing, and safeguard Punjab’s tangible and intangible heritage while delivering high-quality tourism services. It will also lead global marketing, branding and promotional outreach to enhance domestic and international tourist arrivals.

Furthermore, the authority has been authorised to declare any location as a designated tourism or heritage area, enabling targeted infrastructure upgrades, business regulation, visitor facilitation, environmental protection and world-class development of tourism destinations across Punjab.

To ensure fairness and accountability, appeals against any action or enforcement decision of the authority will lie before an appellate committee constituted by the chief minister, providing a clear and responsive redressal mechanism for the public.

Published in Dawn, November 5th, 2025