The Tourism Ministry has been given a target to attract one million foreign visitors to Pakistan during 2007, which is "The visit Pakistan year," says an official statement. Chairing a meeting last evening to review the goals and targets of tourism ministry, Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz asked the ministry and the Tourism Development Corporation of Pakistan (TDCP) to make coordinated and concerted efforts to promote tourism by focusing on historic tourism, vast potential of religious tourism and natural beauty of Northern Areas. Tourism Minister Miss Niloufar Bakhtiar told the meeting that her ministry has prepared a detailed calendar of events to celebrate 2007 as "The Visit Pakistan Year." She said events would be held throughout Pakistan during the year to attract foreign tourists. She said her ministry is working on a plan to set up emergency and rescue centre at Skardu and mountain museum at a suitable place. She said that the ministry, in coordination with Earthquake Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Authority, is working on plans for revival of tourism in the quake-affected areas. The minister apprised Aziz of plans to celebrate Gandhara week as well as development of PTDC properties and their disinvestments. The Prime Minister said that Pakistan has a rich heritage comprising the Indus and Gandhara civilizations and the Mughal period, which should be carefully marketed to attract general as well as religious tourists in the country. Pakistan, he said, can become a destination of choice for tourists as it also offers plains, deserts, glaciers and peaks all rolled into one country. The Prime Minister said that the government is determined to leverage country's vast potential of tourism and has made access to Pakistan easier by introducing a liberal visa policy. Aziz said that there is a need to tap into the potential of tourism as it generates economic activity, creates jobs and earns foreign exchange for the country. Tourism also helps improve the image of the country, as tourists are able to get first hand information about the country, he added.
