ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Planning Ahsan Iqbal has inaugurated the Pakistan Tourism and Culture Festival at the Islamabad Sports Complex with 20 countries participating in the event.
Around 200 stalls have been established at the festival, showcasing the cultural traditions and attractions of participating countries, including China, Indonesia, Nepal, Palestine, Turkey, SriLanka, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Rwanda, Iran, Bangladesh, Kyrgyzstan, Vietnam and Brunei.
The festival features a range of activities, including tent pegging, a marathon and paragliding alongside cultural exhibitions and international participation.
Speaking to the media at the opening ceremony, Ahsan Iqbal said Pakistan offered immense opportunities for tourism and was blessed with natural beauty and rich tourism resources.
He said the hospitality of the Pakistani people made the country stand out globally and that the government was committed to developing the tourism sector.
The minister said the need to present Pakistan internationally as a unified tourism destination and called for an effective strategy to utilise the country’s tourism potential.
He also underlined the better coordination among the provinces to promote tourism and sports, saying events such as the Pakistan Tourism, Sports and Family Festival were important for achieving these objectives.
