PESHAWAR: The KP government has decided to celebrate 2024-25 as the year of Terichmir, the highest peak of the province, and to start the annual Terichmir Festival.
The Culture and Tourism Authority (KPCTA) has been tasked to take immediate steps in this regard. The decision was made at a meeting on tourism promotion under the chairmanship of CM\’s Adviser on Tourism and Culture Zahid Chanzeb.
Director General Barkatullah Marwat, General Manager Planning and Marketing Muhammad Ali Syed, General Manager Tourism Sajjad Hameed and Manager Events Hassina Shaukat and tour operators and other stakeholders attended the meeting.
The participants while welcoming the decision of the government termed it a milestone for the development of tourism and assured of their full cooperation in making the extravaganza the most successful feature of the province.
It was also decided to waive the mountaineering royalty and trekking fee for the year 2024-25 and to include Terichmir Mountain in the tourism symbols of the province. Henceforth the peak in Chitral will also be tourism symbol of KP.
Moreover, international mountaineers will be invited to climb Terichmir peak while the next meeting will be held in Chitral instead of Peshawar and then at other tourist district headquarters. The stakeholders relating to tourism industry apprised the tourism adviser about their problems and difficulties.
Zahid Chanzeb assured them of its redressal on priority basis. He also assured all stakeholders of full cooperation in the efficient delivery of tourism services. He directed that tour operators and all other stakeholders should organize various programs for the promotion of tourism.
On the issue related to NOC for tourists, he said it will be resolved soon after meeting with the concerned authorities. He said for better results, Tourism Police was being upgraded with first aid boxes and provided with additional motorbikes besides extending more training to them.
The adviser clarified that clearance of encroachment in tourist places will be ensured for which the cooperation of the district administration will also be obtained. Similarly, highways leading to tourist places will also be improved for which sufficient funds are being allocated in the new budget.
Mr Chanzeb admitted that tour operators and all other stakeholders played a key role in the development of tourism and the provincial government will leave no stone unturned to encourage them at all levels. The participants of the meeting thanked the tourism advisor and the provincial government for encouraging the stakeholders and taking bold steps for the development of tourism as well as assured their full cooperation in achieving the goals set for the promotion of tourism industry in the province.
There will be no benefit of this activity for chitral, till the time local people are not aware about the importance to tourism. There is a need to create awareness among the local people.
Few years ago, we stayed a month in Turin Itly, we visited different cities, but dealing of people of turin was totally different as compared to other cities. When we asked about the reson, people told that few yrars ago, internal olympic was held in turin, very extensive training was conducted here that how to deal with the tourists? This awareness has changed the people thats’ why people living in turin are more customer friendly.
There is a need to train the hotel owners, shopkepers, tourist guides, police, traveling agencies etc to make their dealing more customer oriented. A tourist facilitation centre and complaints centre has to be established to brief the tourist on arrival and get their feedback at the time of return.
Few years ago, a group of people visited chitral and stayed in governer house, during morning walk, they wanted to take a cup of tea from small local tea shop. Tea was served but taste was not good, they lodged complaint with the owner of tea shop. His response was ” you can go out if you do not like the tea( a moshan he chai afar goyan, awa kya chitara kushi asoma, pyeman pyor no pyimiam as nisi boghor).
On return, one of the tourist had written this story in s full page of business tribune news paper.
Chitral can not get benefits if trousits are treated in same way.
Shamsuddin Mubarak
(via Facebook)