2007 Set to be a ‘Calendar’ Year for Pakistan Tourism

More than 50 high profile tourism events and tourist festivals form the cornerstone of Visit Pakistan Year 2007 (VPY07), a year long Destination Pakistan promotion which began yesterday. 

The ambitious initiative, the first-ever integrated nationwide tourism campaign, represented by a stylish logo right, was inaugurated by Pakistan President, General Pervez Musharraf, below last month during a lavish laser light and brass band opening ceremony in the purpose built Islamabad Convention Centre.

More than 150 travel agents, tour operators, national tourist office executives, academics and media from some 40 countries were brought in by the government especially for the inauguration of VPY07 and a familiarisation of key tourist attractions in and around the federal capital of Islamabad and the country’s cultural capital of Lahore.

Addressing the gathering which also included hundreds of principals from Pakistan’s tourism industry, senior corporate executives as well as government officials and foreign embassy representatives, General Musharraf said that Pakistan was an ideal destination for tourists and that it had full potential to host them in a land which gave rise to one of the oldest civilisations in the world.

He said that Pakistan was a “destination for the whole world”.

The Pakistan President admitted, however, that the country’s infrastructure needed improving so that visitors could easily and conveniently see the many unique attractions of the country including some of the world’s tallest mountains, the world’s oldest civilisation at Mehrgarh, the ancient deserts of Cholistan and Thar, the world’s highest polo grounds as well as the treasures of Islamic culture and its rich Mughal traditions.

Musharraf said that the government had not paid any attention to the tourist industry in the past although tourism had great potential to create jobs and gain foreign exchange for the country.

He warmly acknowledged the role that the new Federal Tourism Minister, Nilofer Bakhtiar has played in organising VPY07 activities in a “graceful manner”.

The vivacious minister said during her address that all efforts would be made to make the tourism year a success including the commencement of an advertising campaign to attract tourists from China, Britain, the USA and Japan.

She said that the Ministry of Tourism’s efforts would “significantly increase the number of foreign tourists to the country” adding that the Ministry had devised a number of new proposals to promote tourism including a series of some 50 special events for VPY07.

She said that all cultural festivals would be organised so that people of all faiths and nationalities could enjoy the events.  She added that the staging of a year of festivals would promote a “soft image” of the country in the international community.

The first event on the VPY07 calendar is the Lahore Marathon which begins on January 14.  This is followed by the week long Pakistan Tourism Fair which begins on January 15.

The final event for the year is the Pakistan Tourism Convention and closing ceremony for VPY07 in Islamabad on December 30.

In between these dates scores of special events have been organised including the Thar Desert Festival set for February 16 – 18, a train safari through the Khewra Salt Mines planned for April 24 – 26, the Shandur Polo Festival in Chitral and Gilgit organised for July 7 – 9 and a gala celebration to mark Pakistan’s 60th Independence Day on August 14.

As well there will be a desert jeep rally, a cycle race, a mountain marathon, a hot air balloon competition and an international film festival in Islamabad.

The thoroughly revamped and modernised website www.tourism.gov.pk launched in late December has comprehensive coverage of the calendar of events for Visit Pakistan Year 2007.

Exclusive Report by Thomas E. King, TravelMole’s Travel & Lifestyle Correspondent.