PM’s Aide Romina Khurshid advocates for ecotourism to secure Pakistan’s green future

Islamabad:

Coordinator to the Prime Minister on Climate Change, Romina Khurshid Alam stressed the importance of promoting ecotourism to enhance environmental conservation and provide socio-economic advantages to local communities.

In her message on World Tourism Day, she highlighted Pakistan’s growing global recognition as an attractive destination for eco-friendly travel thanks to its diverse landscapes, rich biodiversity, and commitment to promotion of sustainable tourism practices.

World Tourism Day is celebrated ever year worldwide on September 27 to honour tourism’s significance and the global social, cultural and economic effects it yields. The theme for World Tourism Day this year is “Tourism and Peace”.

The PM’s climate aide Romina Khurshid Alam said, “Above all, tourism brings people together and people-to-people contact grow it leads to more peaceful, coherence and connectivity amongst people.”

She remarked that sustainable and environmental-friendly tourism help transform communities by creating green jobs, fostering inclusion and strengthening local economies socially and economically.

She highlighted as a part of promoting environmentally-sustainable tourism in the country, the government’s initiatives to plant trees all over the country including one million trees’ plantation on the Margalla Hills and setting up camping villages in various northern areas aimed at achieving sustainable tourism development goals.

Romina Khurshid explained that with its diverse landscapes, Pakistan is increasingly recognised as a top preferred destination for local and international tourists, who visit different parts of the country to experience unique natural beauty, resource-rich biodiversity, snow-capped mountains and serene valleys, spanning landscapes, desert lands, fairy meadows and meandering rivers.

The Country’s stunning areas such as the Northern Areas with peaks like Nanga Parbat, lush valleys like Hunza, and coastal regions along the Arabian Sea, offering unique eco-adventures, the PM’s coordinator added.

Ms Alam said eco-tourism in Pakistan emphasises local community engagement, ensuring that tourism benefits rural populations economically and socially.

“By advancing ecotourism, Pakistan aims to empower local communities, combat food insecurity, and improve access to renewable energy, internet, and clean water creating a win-win scenario for both the environment and the economy,” she concluded.