PESHAWAR: The Tourism Corporation Khyber of Pakhtunkhwa on Wednesday organised 4x4 jeep rally from Bab-i-Khyber to Swabi to promote tourism and highlight the potential of tourism in the province.

More than 70 jeeps of Frontier 4x4 Club participated in the rally. The participants of the rally reached Swabi from Khyber tribal district after passing through Peshawar, Nowshera, Jehangira and other towns located along GT Road.

From Swabi, the jeep racers started their journey towards Peshawar where the thrilling activity culminated, said a press release.

Mushtaq Ahmad Khan, the managing director of TCKP, was the chief at the ceremony. Frontier 4x4 Club president Babar Khan and officials of various departments were also present on the occasion.

Mushtaq Ahmad Khan said that the rally was organised as part of activities being held in connection with the World Tourism Day. “Tourism and digital transformation” is the theme of this year’s World Tourism Day being marked on Thursday (today).

The official said that management information system (MIS) and its online App were being introduced on war-footing basis to facilitate tourists and attract more visitors to the province.

“MIS is of paramount importance as it will easily facilitate the tourists to know about the routes, scenic spots, rest houses and other necessary information available through online App via their mobile phones,” said Mr Khan.

He said that all data of the tour operators, hotels, restaurants booking, tracking, tourist resorts, lakes, weather condition and cultures of various districts in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa would be uploaded on the website and mobile App to help tourists.

“Over 75 per cent of tourist destinations, archaeological and heritage sites and Buddhist ruins of the country exist in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The followers of Buddhism and enthusiasts of adventure tourism can be attracted to the province through publicity with the new App and website,” he said.

He said that the department had already kicked off ‘tourism week’ with a thrilling water rafting activity for the women entrepreneurs of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa at the scenic Kunhar River.

The official said that Senior Minister Mohammad Atif Khan had constituted a 10-member task force to promote tourism and identify new tourist resorts in the province.

“Chief Minister Mahmood Khan is chairman of the task force while senior minister for tourism, four other provincial ministers, chief secretary and secretaries of tourism, communication and works and forests departments are its members,” he said.

Published in Dawn, September 27th, 2018