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Govt asked to declare 2002 as 'trade, business promotion year'

Zahid Baig

LAHORE: The Standing Committee on Travel, Hospitality and Tourism of the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) has urged the government to declare year 2002 as "trade and business promotion year."

Convener of the committee, Tariq Bucha, while talking to Business Recorder here on Friday, said that during the year 2002 the government should arrange trade exhibitions in various parts of the country, which would not only promote interaction between the local traders and industrialists, but also attract foreign entrepreneurs beside promoting the tourism.

He stressed the need for utilising various traditional events such as "Basant" and the horse and cattle show to promote our culture as well as tourism.

He said the committee has already proposed that the private sector should be taken in to confidence and incentives should be given to the private entrepreneurs so that they may come forward and invest in this area.

In this context, he said for the promotion of tourism, "National Horse and Cattle Show" will prove as a catalyst. He suggested that this important show may be privatised and the task of publicity and arrangements of the show be entrusted to the private sector.

He also demanded that the tourists be given tickets on concessional rates for travelling by air, rail or other transport.

He said the tourists guide centers be established in the main cities of the country in order to attract foreign as well as domestic tourists, proper infrastructure facilities be provided in the tourists areas.

Tariq Bucha said that Pakistan tourists guides, road maps and information about hotels should be made available at the airports for the facilitation of tourists. He further said the standing committee also proposed that the government should withdraw provincial tax of Rs 250 on air ticket which is only imposed in the Punjab.

The committee also suggested that the schools and colleges may be asked to play their due role in creating awareness among the students about tourism and panel discussions and quiz programmes on tourism be started on television.

In preparation of the year 2001, which is declared "Visit Pakistan Year," the LCCI standing committee recommended that visas should be issued at reduced fee or total free during the year 2001 to the tourists. Airlines as well as hotels may be asked to give special discounts to the tourists while postal stamps showing archaeological sites of all the four provinces be issued and a "tourism convention" at federal level be organised in which all the provinces may participate.

He further said that A to Z directory of Pakistan's map of exit and entry be published and all foreign missions be asked to place it in their offices.

The federal government may direct all the provincial governments and other allied departments, which are maintaining rest houses that tourists should be allowed to enjoy the facilities and accomodations there as national citizens of public importance, he concluded.