By Syed Marwan Shah

ISLAMABAD, July 27: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has been promoting tourism in the province through investment in Integrated Tourism Zones (ITZs), WealthPK reports.

The ITZs project is a milestone for the promotion of tourism as it will help to increase the inflow of tourists to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The project is meant to provide all the required facilities to tourists. The promotion of the tourism sector will attract substantial investment to the province, which will create employment opportunities for the local people.

An official of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Board of Investment and Trade (KP-BoIT) told WealthPK that keeping in view the vast potential of the tourism sector, the provincial government was enhancing investment in it by establishing ITZs.

He said that the government recently approved the establishment of ITZs in Abbottabad, Chitral, Mansehra, and Swat districts of the province. The establishment of ITZs is part of the government’s plan to develop tourism in the province.

The establishment of ITZs will also attract foreign tourists besides domestic travellers. The zones will have a significant impact on the promotion of tourism in the province in particular and in the entire country in general. “ITZs have the potential to contribute to the economic development of the province,” said the official.

According to WealthPK research, the ITZ Thandiani in district Abbottabad has 80 acres of land with lush green fields in summer and snow-capped mountains in winter, which will make it a wonderful place for tourists.

The ITZ Madaklasht is located in Chitral on 67.5 acres. As the gateway to the northern region, it can play a vital role in the promotion of tourism. The region also has substantial potential for the development of special interest tourism, such as winter sports and wildlife tourism.

The ITZ Ganool in the district of Mansehra has an area of 60 acres, having a huge potential to become the largest tourist attraction in the province as far as cultural and landscape tourism is concerned.

The ITZ Mankiyal is situated in Swat on 94.25 acres of land. It is home to the Hindukush Mountain Range, which is one of the largest mountain ranges in the world. It is a unique ITZ with the potential to develop tourism both domestically and internationally at a high level.

Roads, pathways, tracks, water supply, solid waste management, stable electricity supply and infrastructure development are among the major components of the ITZs project. In addition to creating 16,000 direct and indirect employment opportunities, the ITZs are expected to attract investment of $8 billion.

Utilising funds from the Multi-Donor Trust Fund (MDTF), the provincial government and the World Bank are collaborating to develop ITZs. MDTF was established to help the crisis-affected areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Through the additional funds provided by the World Bank, the government will be able to promote the tourism industry.

Credits: INP-WealthPk