A long-term private sector plan to revitalise tourism in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has sought privatisation, through sale or lease, of all assets created at various tourist spots by the Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation, restricting the government's role to facilitation and regulation of the industry. It also recommends public private partnerships for tourism projects.

The plan document, prepared by USAID consultants for the Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry, lists major impediments in development of tourism and recommends measures to realise the tourism potential in the province. That includes strengthening of the Tourism Corporation Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (TCKP).

The document recommends representation of private sector on the TCKP board of directors, an entity required to work as a commercial entity to compete the private sector.

Besides, the laws regulating the tourism sector are outdated and there is a need for improving standards and certifications for the hotels, restaurants and other service providers.

“Hotels and restaurants should be issued certificates once they are evaluated and awarded a rating on the improved Star System. It should be mandatory for hotels to display prominently these certificates at their reception desks to inform tourists about the quality of services,” the document recommends.

Similarly, developing quality standards for transporters, tour guides and tour operators have been recommended in the document calling for a comprehensive marketing and promotion plan for identifying segments to be targeted, supported by the marketing activities.

Apart from suggesting means to attract the domestic tourists in the first phase, it recommends attracting Buddhist tourists from Korea, Japan and China.

As a first step, the government needs to identify the sites which are of particular interest to Buddhists due to their religious significance. The identified locations should be developed to attract tourists. Information and promotional materials need to be developed in the languages of the potential tourists (Korean, Japanese and Chinese), it says.

For sustainable tourism development, the document stresses that it is important to create a brand for Pakistan tourism. Since majority of the tourism attractions are in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, most of the components of this brand will come from this province. The TCPK should be a partner with the proposed national tourism promotion organisation for this branding.

The plan also envisages government interventions for developing tourism infrastructure, development of new tourist sites, museums and developing archives of tourism assets and investment facilitation. Tourism has a huge potential in Khyber Pakhtunkhawa where its development has not received the priority it deserves. The provincial government allocated Rs332 million in the current year's Annual Development Programme, merely 0.65 per cent of the developmental budget for 2010-11.

A weak infrastructure (roads, bridges, electricity), substandard tourist facilitation services, lack of enforcement of standards/certifications in hotels, tourist guides, difficulty in transportation and in issuance of Pakistan's visa, un-organised private sector, unsatisfactory security situation and lack of focused and proper marketing are some of the major impediments that hinder development tourism as an industry, says the document and recommends different interventions in key areas to develop tourism through a structured and phased approach.

The document advocates that tourism should be officially declared as the most important sector by the government with full backing from the federal government because of its cross cutting role in this sector.

Blessed with mighty and beautiful mountains, valleys, forests, rivers and above all being home to the oldest civilizations, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa distinguishes itself from other provinces of Pakistan when it comes to tourism. But much of the industry that was developed by the private sector was destroyed by militants in places attractive for tourists.

The policy document also calls for effective coordination between different ministries and departments to develop tourism related synergies through the tourism department. Citing an example, the document suggests if the Wild Life Department is making a strategy; it should also keep the tourism promotion in view. Similarly, in plans of other ministries also, tourism development should be incorporated, it says.

It also recommends setting up of Tourism Think Tank that should include people from private and public sector to initiate and promote meaningful public private dialogue on tourism promotion in the province.

The document suggests that security forces should initiate the process of vacating civil installations, organise visits to archeological sites and police check posts should slowly replace the army check posts. The option of having police in civilian clothes should also be considered.