Today, we are celebrating World Tourism Day 2022 to renew our pledge for setting priorities to consider the potential of the tourism sector in order to advance the economic prosperity and progress of our country. Pakistan is a country that has attractive and wonderful tourist sites in the world due to its remarkable landscape, diversity and rich history of ancient civilizations. It has also a religious tourism attraction. Tourism is an integral source of income for the people and it is certainly relevant and connected to the local economic development as well as to the improvement of civic facilities in the far-flung areas that would benefit the whole country in various aspects. Tourism is a source of earning foreign exchange, a tool for job creation and poverty alleviation. Undoubtedly, it also creates harmony among people from different parts of the country. The government of Pakistan has focused on this sector during the last few years. As the theme of this year is 'Rethinking Tourism", now we have the opportunity to rethink about this sector that has been first hit by the pandemic of Covid-19 along with the rest of the world and now it is badly affected by the super floods in Pakistan. There is a dire need to come up with long-term strategic planning to boost the tourism industry on a sustainable basis and set new boundaries for securing its future. Besides the need for increasing the number of foreign tourists travelling in Pakistan, programs should be developed with a special focus on safe and secure tourism. I am sure that the government will utilize all its resources to turn the challenges into opportunities by restarting the industry from grass root level and ensuring the cooperation and collaboration of allied government agencies to come out of the crisis and rebuild better. EMBARGOED: NOT TO BE PUBLISHED/BROADCAST/TELECAST BEFORE 27 SEPTEMBER 2022
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