Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Mahmood Khan has stated that incumbent government was working under integrated strategy to promote tourism as industry in the province which will stable the local economy and provide job opportunities to people.
As an important development to promote tourism in the province, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government on Tuesday accorded approval to declare three tourists spots as Integrated Tourism Zones (ITZs) including Ghanool (Mansehra), Mankyal (Swat) and Madakalasht (lower Chitral).
This approval was accorded in the first meeting of Provincial Tourism Strategy Board held here on Tuesday with Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Mahmood Khan in the chair. The matter would be presented before provincial cabinet for final approval.
Provincial Cabinet members Taimur Saleem Jhagra, Ishtiaq Urmar, Chief Secretary Dr.Shehzad Bangash, Additional Chief Secretary Shahab Ali Shah, Principal Secretary to CM Amjad Ali Khan, administrative secretaries of concerned departments and other board members attended the meeting.
Briefing about aforesaid Integrated Tourism Zones, the forum was informed that Ghanol Integrated Tourism Zone would consist an area of 489 Kanal whereas Mankyal and Madaklasht Integrated Tourism Zones would consist 450 Kanal and 500 Kanals of land respectively.
It was further informed that section-4 has been imposed on the land identified for newly approved Integrated Tourism Zones and land acquisition process has also been started. The authorities told that suitable site has also been identified for another Integrated Tourism Zone in Thandiani district Abbottabad adding that after codal formalities this site would also be declared as Integrated Tourism Zone.
The participants were informed that master plans of the said Integrated Tourism Zones had been prepared, and in the next phase Management Plans would be prepared for these Integrated Tourism Zones. It was also revealed in the meeting that these Integrated Tourism Zones would be presented in Dubai Expo 2020 in order to attract foreign investment.
Addressing the participants, the Chief Minister has directed the quarters concerned to ensure preparation of regulations for the said ITZs within the next two months and submit for approval. He further directed them to ensure protection of natural environment including forests and rivers adding that management plan for ITZs be completed as soon as possible.
