Pak-China regional tourism workshop concluded in Kashgar
Hunza, October 20: The cross-border regional tourism workshop between Pakistan and China on integrated tourism concepts to contribute to sustainable development in mountain regions concluded in Kashgar, China.
The workshop that had started at KIU, Gilgit was inaugurated by Engr. Sulaiman Wali, Chairman, Chief Executives Inspection Team and the Secretary Tourism Northern Areas. Around 40 delegates from Xinjiang and Tibet regions of China, Nepal and Northern Areas, Pakistan participated in the workshop and the field visit to Hunza and Kashgar.
The delegates were grouped into three thematic groups: Local communities, infrastructure and local economy and environment. Each group visited different projects, sites and stakeholders and the observations and information thus gained were shared in the plenary through group works and group presentations to formulate recommendations.
Adressing the concluding banquet dinner, head of the Pakistan delegation Mr. Abdul Sattar, Secretary Planning and Development Northern Areas thanked the local authorities in Tashkurgan and Kashgar for the hospitality and briefings made. He said the experiences and information shared were quite learning opportunity for the Pakistan delegation.
He also thanked InWent, Xinjiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, the Tourism department Northern Areas and AKRSP for organizing this international workshop on this very important theme.
He assured the delegates that the present government will ensure to take necessary measures to allocate resources to develop and implement plans to materialize the recommendations made and will also take up other recommendations with the relevant competent authorities.
He suggested that the authorities of the concerned departments in both countries and regions should visit their counterparts in each region and develop working groups. He invited the Poverty Alleviation department of Xinjiang to visit Northern Areas to exchange exerinces.
Mr. Juergen Richter of Inwent outlined the objectives of the mountain programme and thanked both Chinese and Pakistani government and partners for the successful conclusion of the workshop.
