Staff Reporter
Peshawar
The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Tourism Department and the World Bank (WB) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for joint venture to develop new tourist sites and tourism integrated zones to facilitate tourists and visitors in the province.
Federal Minister for Economic Affairs Hammad Azhar, Secretary Economic Affairs Division Noor Ahmed, Secretary Sports, Tourism, Museums, Archaeology, Culture and Youth Affairs Department Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Kamran Rehman, World Bank Country Director Illango, World Bank private sector Senior Specialist Kiran Afzal, KITE Project Director Tausif Khalid and other officials attended the MoU signing ceremony.
A number of uplift schemes to be completed under the “Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Tourism Integrated Zones Development” project would boost tourism and facilitate tourists in every nook and corner of the province. According to MoU, the World Bank would provide 70 million dollars for the KITE under the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Tourism Integrated Zones Development project to develop new tourist spots and rehabilitate the existing tourism attractions in the province.
Under the project, steps would also be taken to promote ecotourism so that to pave the way for environment- friendly projects in tourism sector. Development of new tourism zones, beautification and infrastructure development through investment projects in KP, widening and rehabilitation of roads, institutional uplift through sustainable tourism development, increasing tourism assets, planning public-private partnership, evolving strategy for environmental protection with the help of all stakeholders, preservation and protection of historic and heritage sites and other tasks are part of the MoU.
