PESHAWAR, Sept 27: Despite facing militancy, problems of internally displaced persons and devastating floods, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government and Tourism Corporation of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have continued to promote domestic tourism by holding activities, which may attract foreigners, too.

This was stated by provincial tourism minister Syed Aqil Shah during a function held at Peshawar Museum in connection with the World Tourism Day.

The minister said since 2008, the provincial government in collaboration with TCKP had held successful events despite security problems, and would continue doing so.

According to him, an international bicycle race was cancelled at the eleventh hour over protests against an anti-Islam film produced in the US.

“When we explained the situation to foreign cyclists, they understood it. However, we’ll continue holding such events despite problems,” he said.

The minister said he had personally survived two attacks but nothing could stop his department or the provincial government from holding events, which promoted the beauty and history of the land blessed with bluest lakes, highest mountain peaks, lush green valleys and historic Gandhara sites.

“The focus of the tourism bodies in the province has been on promotion of domestic tourism since there is a great potential in this sector,” he said.

Mr Shah said trips to Galyat, Kaghan, Swat and Chitral would be announced this year in collaboration with private tour operators.

He said the government had initiated a ‘Youth Tourism Development Project’ to increase the students’ awareness and knowledge of tourism by holding study trips, trekking tours and camping activities.

The minister said five youth hostels would be set up in the province with the work on the first in Naran beginning this year.

Mr Zahoor Durrani, consultant and manager of the project, said students of government and private schools were given opportunity to go on study trips. He said students learned about their province by such visits.

He said the theme of the current year’s World Tourism Day was ‘Tourism and sustainable energy: powering sustainable development’.

The message of TCKP managing director and tourism secretary Syed Jamaluddin for the event was read out.

He said tourism was leading the way in some of the world’s most innovative sustainable energy initiatives.

“Energy efficient upgrades to aircraft, the shift to renewable fuel for cruise liners, energy technology solutions in hotels and many other initiatives are placing tourism at the forefront of the clean energy transformation,” he said.

Mr Jamaluddin said sustainable energy initiatives in the world were creating economic opportunities and jobs for millions of people in tourism, energy or other sectors.

He said returns on investment in sustainable energy could be enormous, enabling tourism industry to grow.

“As we celebrate World Tourism Day, I urge all tourism stakeholders, including the government, businessmen and tourists, to play their part in helping our country achieve the UN goal of sustainable energy by 2030 and position tourism at the centre of the clean energy economies of the future,” he said.

The TCKP managing director said the theme of the World Tourism Day was very much connected to the problems of the country since power outages had affected every local sector.

“Solar energy could be one solution of this problem,” he said.

Some participants said it was sad that Pakistan had many rivers and nuclear installations but faced prolonged power outages.

Students of Institute of Learning and Motivation (ILM), Peshawar, presented a skit on the theme, seeking early solution to energy crisis.