Minister proposes few steps towards promotion of cooperation in tourism among the brotherly Islamic States

ISLAMABAD, June 28: Federal Minister for Inter-Provincial Coordination (IPC) Ehsan-ur-RehmanMazari, attended the 11th session of Islamic Conference of Tourism Ministers (ICTM- 27-29 June) in Baku, Azerbaijan. The theme of the session is Role of local communities in tourism development.
Addressing at the occasion Federal Minister said that It should be a matter for collective pride that increasing number of Ministers are participating in the Intra-OIC cooperation for Tourism. Tourism is a mainstay of our economies and most important source of generating valuable foreign exchange, economic growth and employment in OIC Member States. Unfortunately, there are several challenges impeding growth & development of this vital sector ranging from lack of peace and stability, weak infrastructural base, weak/nonexistent regulations and standards.
The outbreak of Covid-19 pandemic in 2020 led to significant losses in Tourism sector in the OIC Member States including Pakistan viz-a-viz tourism receipts, employment in tourism sector. In post Covid scenario, owing to immense challenges faced by nascent tourism sector of OIC Countries, there is a need to facilitate knowledge and technology transfers and offer technical assistance for capacity building in member States to increase preparedness for future shocks that could hamper course of development in Tourism due to natural calamities or armed conflicts.
The global Tourism market is all set to be more competitive in post Covid-19 Scenario, owing to new technological advances, new health and safety regulations, hence it is imperative that OIC Member States take necessary steps that promote Tourism including “Islamic Tourism, its allied products, Services, as well as provide visa facilitations to potential travelers as enshrined in relevant resolutions of ICTM.
He said that efforts are underway to increase the Tourist Arrivals in Pakistan after the recovery from the pandemic of Covid-19 as it is an important constituent of our economy, and a key priority of our Government. The promotion of tourism among member states of OIC is very close to the heart of the Prime Minister of Pakistan, added the Minister.
Federal Minister Mazari while focusing on the theme of 11th session of ICTM said that, in order to strengthen the local communities to benefit from tourism industry, the subject of Tourism has been devolved to provinces through a constitutional amendment.