UNDP signs Memorandum of Understanding with Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation

July 29, 2019

Islamabad, July 29, 2019: UNDP Pakistan and Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) today to promote eco-friendly and sustainable tourism leading to local economic development and youth empowerment in Pakistan. The Agreement was signed by Mr. Zulfiqar Abbas Bukhari, Chairman, Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation, and Mr. Ignacio Artaza, UNDP Resident Representative a.i. in a signing ceremony held at the Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis & Human Resource Development.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Ignacio Artaza stated that ‘ the MoU builds on UNDP’s ongoing support to the Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in setting up camping villages in scenic locations across the province and paves the way for the implementation of the policy recommendations and priority areas identified by the Prime Minister’s recently formed National Task Force on Tourism’. Mr. Artaza also stated that ‘10% of the world’s GDP, 7% of the global exports, and 1 in 10 jobs are directly linked to the Tourism Sector. This means that tourism can play a pivotal role in the achievement of Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development. Furthermore, the Government of Pakistan’s commendable efforts to promote tourism are coinciding with an exponential increase in the population of young people in the country who can play a decisive role in rejuvenating and modernizing the tourism industry. In this regard, UNDP’s partnership with PTDC dovetails tourism development with the empowerment of young people and aims to convert the ‘youth bulge’ in Pakistan into a demographic dividend’. 

Mr. Zulfiqar Abbas Bukhari stated that ‘tourism is a labour intensive industry and the Government of Pakistan intends to harness its vast potential for poverty alleviation and economic development. He further informed about the Government’s intention to develop ‘Brand Pakistan’ to promote the country’s rich cultural heritage at the national and international levels. In this regard, a National Tourism Coordination Board has been constituted to create synergies across provinces and regions for tourism development. These efforts will be further streamlined through the approval of a National Tourism Development Strategy to act as a framework for concerted efforts to strengthen the tourism sector in Pakistan.’

The MoU will facilitate the provision of technical expertise and advisory services for tourism development, strengthening of strategic partnerships for the promotion of eco-friendly and cultural tourism (with a focus on youth employment), and collaboration on research and advocacy initiatives to support the Government of Pakistan’s tourism development initiatives.

Data suggests that the direct contribution of travel and tourism to the GDP in Pakistan is around 5.9% for 2018, while around 1,493,000 jobs are estimated to be created in this sector (around 2.5% of the total jobs). Young people have been recognized by the United Nations as a major force for development and social change. This also holds true for tourism, with youth travellers leading positive change in the sector, investing in local tourism businesses, and championing environmental protection. This agreement will facilitate the convergence of tourism development and young people’s empowerment and rejuvenate and diversify the tourism sector in Pakistan through research, advocacy, and strategic partnerships.

For further information on UNDP’s ongoing work on tourism development in Pakistan, please visit the page: Promoting eco-tourism for peace and development in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

For additional information, please contact Ayesha Babar at ayesha.babar@undp.org or +92 (51) 8355650.