Govt not closing down PTDC: Zulfi Bukhari

Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development Zulfi Bukhari on Sunday said they would be bringing reforms in the Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation (PTDC) rather than closing it down.

“We are hiring people associated with the tourism industry,” he said adding that restructuring PTDC was a decision taken by the cabinet in 2019 after travel advisory for the country has improved.

He said that the PTDC has suffered losses of millions of rupees and it is increasing with every passing year. “We have not fired any PTDC employee due to COVID-19,” he said.

The chairman of the PTDC said that a motel owned by the corporation in the Daman-e-Koh area of Islamabad has remained shut for years and they have hired a firm to lease it out for a long-term period.

Zulfi Bukhari said tourism comprises 10 percent of the global GDP and they have devised a 10-year policy and action plan to be implemented during 2020-30 for improvement in the tourism sector in the country.

“Pakistan has established its tourism brand titled as ‘Brand Pakistan’ and will be launched during the ongoing year,” the close aide of the premier said adding that the national e-portal would pave way for online booking and other information-related stuff.

NTDC has also developed a comprehensive policy for tourism and we will highlight the country’s tourism places globally. “Ministers from eight countries including Turkey, Iran, and Qatar will visit also Pakistan to attend a tourism conference hosted by Pakistan,” he said, adding that promoting tourism would improve job opportunities in the country.