Islamabad, December 13, 2023 – Pakistan’s President, Dr. Arif Alvi, highlighted the vast potential for sports and adventure tourism in the country, underscoring the need for effective regulation and improved infrastructure to harness this untapped sector.
His remarks came during the concluding ceremony of the third Sustainable Mountain Sports Tourism Conference, organized by the Alpine Club of Pakistan.
The conference, themed ‘Revival of Mountain Glory,’ brought together the nation’s renowned mountaineers, including Samina Baig, Naila Kiani, and Sajid Sadpara, who achieved remarkable feats by scaling some of the world’s highest peaks.
President Alvi emphasized that Pakistan’s northern areas boast incredibly serene natural beauty, with majestic mountains and snowy peaks that serve as a significant attraction for tourists and trekkers alike. He specifically highlighted the skiing facilities in Malam Jabba and Naltar areas and the adventure potential of the Hunza Valley’s world-renowned treks amidst the towering peaks of the Karakoram Range.
However, the president stressed the necessity for a robust tourist regulatory mechanism to promote domestic tourism. He pointed out that the unregulated influx of tourists could lead to traffic jams and disruptions to the civic system. To address these issues, President Alvi proposed the development of new tourist destinations and effective management strategies to shift the influx of visitors.
President Alvi also called for a heightened public consciousness regarding environmental conservation while exploring tourist places. He identified security and a peaceful environment as significant factors crucial for promoting tourist activities in the country.
Air Vice Marshal (retd) Ijaz Malik, the Patron of the Alpine Club of Pakistan, highlighted Pakistan’s unique position as the home of the highest mountain peaks and glaciers outside the Arctic region. He emphasized the potential for adventure and mountain tourism and outlined the outcomes of the sports tourism conference, including the need for a domestic tourism policy, integrating tourism into the national curriculum, and training human resources with contemporary skills.
The President of the Alpine Club of Pakistan, Abu Zafar Sadiq, expressed the organization’s commitment to promoting sports tourism through various activities such as rock and sport climbing, hiking, trekking, winter sports, paragliding, mountain biking, and rafting.
President Alvi concluded the event by presenting recognition shields to the mountaineers, trekkers, and officials of the Alpine Club, acknowledging their significant contributions to the promotion of sports and adventure tourism in Pakistan.
