JEDDAH, 4 October 2005 — Pakistan is fully geared to make a success of 2006 as its tourism year. It is equipping the country with improved tourist infrastructure and expects more overseas tourists. “We aim to get more vacationers from Saudi Arabia and the rest of the Middle East,” Sami-ul-Haq Khilji, joint secretary at the Pakistan Ministry of Tourism, said yesterday. “We’re involving the private sector to improve and expand our tourist infrastructure and the scope is immense for overseas investment,” Khilji said in his presentation at the three-day “Pakistan specific week and catalog show,” which ended at the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce & Industry (JCCI) yesterday.
A session on the service sector encompassing education, health, IT, and National Database & Registration Authority (NADRA) marked the day, which featured opening addresses by Ahmed Bahjat Hijazi, director of international trade and investment promotion at the JCCI, and Pakistan Ambassador Abdul Aziz Mirza.
Pakistan has accounted for an increase in the number of tourists from 500,000 in 2003 to 648,000 in 2004. The figure is expected to exceed a million by 2006. While most of the tourists come from the UK, North America and Japan, the Middle East accounts for 283,600, including 52,000 from the Kingdom, he said. “We’re aware of the requirements of Saudi vacationers and well prepared to meet their needs like family accommodation in hotels and apartments, adventure and cultural tourism, and sports,” he said, adding that they are being given visas for a stay up to three months.
Khilji urged Saudi investors to take advantage of the potential available in tourist-related projects. “The Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation is implementing a project of establishing 25 motels in remote places across the country, which are available for joint venture partnerships,” he said.
Hijazi termed the event as a “good step” and hoped that it would further strengthen the bonds between the two countries.
The ambassador advised the business community to concentrate on maintaining the quality and timely delivery of products. “These two things are very important for any business deal between the two sides,” he said, adding that businessmen from both countries should have frequent interaction and try to reach the set goals. — With input from Abdul Maqsood Mirza
