Pakistan’s largest Tourism, Sports and Family Festival to kick off on Saturday in capital: Sardar Ilyas

ISLAMABAD, Jan 30 (APP): Prime Minister’s Coordinator on Tourism, Sardar Yasir Ilyas Friday announced that Pakistan’s largest-ever Tourism, Sports and Family Festival will commence on Saturday at the Pakistan Sports Complex, Islamabad, marking a major step toward reviving and mainstreaming the country’s tourism sector after years of neglect.
Addressing a press conference, Sardar Yasir Ilyas said the mega festival would open a new chapter for tourism in Pakistan and would later be replicated in other provinces. He termed the event a first-of-its-kind initiative in the federal capital, designed as a fully family-friendly festival with activities for children, youth and tourists from all walks of life.
He said the government was introducing innovation in the tourism sector, adding that youth-oriented training courses were being launched to create skilled human resources. “Pakistan is a peaceful and hospitable country, and our nation is globally known for its unmatched tradition of hospitality,” he said.
The prime minister’s coordinator said the festival would feature food, games, handicrafts and jewelry stalls, while cultures of all four provinces, Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir would be showcased. He said the initiative was aligned with Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif’s vision to develop tourism as a full-fledged industry, noting that Pakistan holds immense untapped tourism potential.
Providing details of adventure sports, he said paragliding from the Margalla Hills, air ballooning, power gliding, tent pegging, cycling, and a marathon with a prize of Rs 100,000 would be key attractions. Top paragliders from across the country will participate, flying from Margalla Hills and landing at the Cricket Ground near the Sports Complex. A dedicated area has been designated for photography and spectators.
He said over 300 vintage cars and classic motorcycles would be displayed, along with rallies, while rock climbing and zip-lining activities would be arranged for youth and children. Pakistan’s leading mountaineers will also be present to guide young participants and promote adventure tourism in collaboration with the Alpine Club and other partners.
Speaking on the occasion, Managing Director Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation (PTDC), Aftab ur Rehman Rana, said PTDC had launched a national tourism calendar under which more than 50 events would be organized across the country.
He said Islamabad was being developed as a gateway city, with strong potential for adventure, sports, medical, recreational and cultural tourism, which could significantly contribute to economic growth.
He said the festival would host stalls of PTDC and other departments, women chambers, hotels, tour operators, hospitality institutes and cultural groups from different provinces and countries. “This event is aimed at creating public awareness about tourism, culture and heritage, as tourism already contributes around 5.6 percent to Pakistan’s GDP,” he added.
He said the government had formulated a 10-year National Tourism Strategy, setting a target to increase tourism’s contribution to 10 percent of GDP, generating jobs and boosting foreign exchange earnings. Diplomats will also be engaged to project Pakistan’s positive image internationally, while foreign participants will be invited to future events such as the Cholistan Rally.
The organizers said strict security arrangements and traffic management plans had been finalized. The festival is being organized jointly with the Ministry of Inter-Provincial Coordination (IPC) and other partners, and similar events will be held in other cities and provinces in the coming months.
Joint Secretary, Ministry of Inter-Provincial Coordination (IPC), Amjad Ali Gill, said the festival reflects strong inter-ministerial collaboration aimed at reviving tourism and sports across the country.
He said the Ministry of IPC is fully supporting the initiative to promote healthy activities, youth engagement and family recreation in a secure environment. He added that comprehensive security and traffic management arrangements have been finalized, and such events will be replicated in other cities to ensure inclusive participation from all provinces.