Tourism in GB to flourish due to CPEC: Chief Minister

Gilgit: Chief Minister Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) Khalid Khurshid has said that tourism will flourish in GB due to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) development projects.

Speaking at the concluding ceremony of training workshops for start-ups related to winter and adventure tourism organized by Accelerate Prosperity and Tech Valley, the CM predicted that the CPEC will bring a change in the life of the GB residents.

He maintained that the future of the GB region was bright in terms of tourism and information technology.

Khurshid stressed that success in any field depended on hard work. “To start a business you must first believe in yourself and your abilities. Those who do not work are not sincere with themselves,” he added.

The CM mentioned that success in business requires hard work, honesty and integrity. He remarked that 80% of the world’s economy was dependent on business.

Khalid Khurshid underlined that modern ways of doing business were being introduced due to information technology.

He emphasized that internet also provided opportunities for online businesses in remote areas. “Most of the population of the region lives in remote areas which makes the Internet more important than other provinces,” the CM pointed out.

The CM informed that the government was taking all possible steps for the promotion of information technology, adding that special technology zones were being created.

“An IT department has been setup and an IT board would be set up soon which Provide a conducive environment for local and international companies working in the field of IT,” he elaborated.

The Chief Minister said that Telemedicine and teleeducation projects were being launched to improve the public service delivery system. He underscored that all departments were being digitized.

Khalid Khurshid noted that the duration of tourism activities in Gilgit-Baltistan was limited to 3 to 4 months, “therefore the government aims to extend this to 12 months. We were working with a comprehensive plan on energy, connectivity and infrastructure projects.”

He indicated that GB has vast opportunities for adventure tourism and in order to promote winter tourism in GB, ski-traversing was introduced in Deosai last year due to which international companies were showing interest in this field.

He contended that to promote tourism government of GB had launched a home stay scheme which would boost tourism and the economy.