An Investment Readiness Conference for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Integrated Tourism Zones (ITZs) was held on Thursday at a local hotel here in Islamabad.
Investment Conference on ‘Integrated Tourism Zones in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’ (ITZ) was organized to mobilize private sector investments and promote responsible tourism. This is for the ITZs in Mankyal, Swat and Ganool, Manshera. The event was held today and was attended by a huge number of national-level investors. Presidents of ICCI, RCCI, representatives of PTDC, KP-BOIT and other trade associations were also present.
The ITZs is a maiden concept in Pakistan which aims to open a new destination in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to promote responsible tourism by suggesting diversity and quality in the tourism offering of these destinations and provide guidance for tourist planning and destination management activities.
ITZ feasibilities and master plans were prepared by the KP’s Department of Tourism (DoT) through the World Bank-sponsored Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Integrated Tourism Development (KITE) project with the support of international experts over a period of one year. The provincial authorities and other speakers shared the opportunities for private sector investments with the participants.
As part of this exercise, customized plans for each destination have been prepared and will be used to invite investments from the private sector.
It is expected that this approach to destination management will lead to an improved visitor experience, better regulation of sites and mobilization of resources from the private sector for the identified investments.
