Pakistani businessmen should bring into focus unconventional sectors like tourism that can payback more than enough with a little investment.
While talking to a group of businessmen, LCCI President Irfan Iqbal Sheikh said that private sector should come forward while government should ensure provision of all necessities and infrastructure development for the promotion of tourism industry.
“Just attention and public-private partnership is needed as country has all components for becoming a heaven for the foreigners, as well as local tourists”, the LCCI president said and added most of destinations in Pakistan are still a hidden and untapped treasure.
He said that Tourism industry of Pakistan can inject billions of dollars to the national economy besides generating millions of employment opportunities and huge revenue to the exchequer. Country is endowed with all ingredients to attract foreign tourists but dire need is to market itself as a tourism hub at the international level.
He said that private sector should invest in tourism industry as rate of return is very high. He said that the Lahore Chamber of Commerce & Industry can play an important role in promotion of tourism sector of Punjab. He said that festivals with safety measures can also attract foreign tourists.
He said that despite having beautiful landscapes, sceneries, historical heritage, mountains and other attractive places for international tourists, earnings from tourism sector is negligible just because of lack in marketing. He also urged Pakistani missions abroad to highlight soft image of the country.
Irfan Iqbal said that changes in syllabi which would help familiarize the new generation with beautiful places of Pakistan.
He said every nook and corner of Pakistan is worth-seeing provided we glorify it in a way that the foreign tourists would come to see our civilization which is, no doubt, our pride. He said that this would also help improve the soft image of Pakistan world over. He said the overwhelming majority of Pakistani people are peace loving and a little minority of extremists have distorted our image.
He also appreciated TDCP Chairman Dr Sohail Zafar Cheema for making untiring efforts for the promotion of tourism sector of Pakistan.
LCCI Senior Vice President Ali Hussam Asghar and Vice President Mian Zahid Jawaid Ahmad said that financing should be made easier to attract investment in tourism industry. They said that our invaluable historic heritage, our thrilling sports and terrific civilization of our people living in mountains, deserts and on the banks of rivers is the real face of Pakistan which should be highlighted before the international community.
