ISLAMABAD: Chairman National Tourism Coordination Board Sayed Zulfikar Abbas Bukhari has said that Pakistan will host the Developing-8’s 3rd Ministerial Meeting on Tourism Cooperation in 2021, to foster collaboration of D-8 members in tourism sector.
He said the decision was taken during the ongoing 2nd Ministerial Meeting on Tourism Cooperation at Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia where Pakistani delegation, led by Sayed Zulfikar Abbas Bukhari.
The session was focused on developing a new tourism development agenda for D-8 countries and contemplating over new methods to promote Halal, eco-friendly and sustainable tourism in D-8 countries.
The delegates underlined the need for enhanced collaboration for unlocking the true potential of tourism sector in D-8 member states. “It is imperative for the D-8 members to remain active, further enhance collaboration and adopt innovative solutions in efforts to unlock greater value for the sustainability and continued progress of the tourism industry,” they unanimously resolved.
The member states have expressed the determination to work closely in order to enhance the role of this important sector as a foreign exchange earner, major source of employment, enabler of people-to-people contacts and promoter of global harmony.
D-8, also known as Developing-8, is an organization for development cooperation among multiple countries including Pakistan, Bangladesh, Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, Malaysia, Nigeria, and Turkey.
Sayed Zulfikar Bukhari, who is also Special Assistant to the Prime Minister
on Overseas Pakistanis said: “Our goals are very similar as we discussed
Eco-tourism, Halal tourism and sustainable development in this sector, besides maintaining our cultural heritage and religious sites.”
He said Prime Minister Imran Khan was pursuing tourism promotion agenda in Pakistan as it had tremendous potential in tourism sector.
Zulfikar Bukhari said he had learned a lot from Malaysia, Indonesia, Turkey and others.
He said the new national tourism policy had been put in place by the prime minister.Headded that a National Tourism Coordination Board was constituted in early 2019 to promote tourism activities in Pakistan on the global stage, besides acting as a coordinating body for the provinces.
