Govt plans to restructure PTDC: Zulfi Bukhari

ISLAMABAD, Mar 27 (APP):In an attempt to bring positive changes in tourism industry through sustained reforms, the government has decided to revamp Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation (PTDC) to make it more effective and productive organization.

Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development, Sayed Zulfikar Bukhari told APP on Wednesday here.

Zulfikar Bukhari, who also holds the portfolio of National Tourism Coordination Board (NTCB) chairman, said the government had selected a professional managing director for the PTDC.

The government had already initiated the process of restructuring the corporation, he added.

He said the NTCB had identified a large number of irregular recruitment in the PTDC and forwarded it to the federal cabinet to decide their fate, adding that the cabinet was evaluating the criteria on which these appointments were made.

Outlining the government’s tourism policy, the chairman said the board had evolved a two-pronged strategy to bolster tourism industry in the five years tenure of present government.

The prime focus of the board was on strengthening domestic tourism as a part of its short term policy and would be making it a base to attract foreign tourists, investors and businessmen, he added.

The long-term policy involved the construction of beeches, resorts, five star hotels and coastal lines, the chairman explained.

To a query, he said protection of environment, culture and heritage would also be ensured as the provincial authorities had been asked to strictly follow government’s guideline in this regard.

Highlighting the role of private sector in flourishing the tourism, he said the government was committed to creating conducive environment for businessmen and had introduced several investor-friendly policies during first seven months of its tenure.

“We cannot materialize our tourism-centric goals without the help of private sector,” he remarked.

He urged the private companies to come forward with the innovative ideas and investment plans which would help achieve the set targets of government in terms of socio-economic development.

Zulfikar Bukhari said the NTCB was involving the private sector in its tourism task forces to support national cause by ensuring the participation of different stakeholders.

He said the board could only provide policy guidelines, but the implementation of those strategies were responsibility of provincial departments.

Since Prime Minister Imran Khan was keen to exploit the potential of this sector, he said the NTCB would make all out efforts to attract maximum number of tourists in Pakistan.

Terming the tourism as a national cause, he said the government’s recently introduced reforms in the Visa regime was testimony of its commitment towards this cause.

The abolishment of the No Objection Certificate’s condition for the foreign tourists was a step in the right direction, he added.