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Saturday, October 5, 2024

WB Country director reveals how Pakistan can revive tourism industry

The tourism sector is of vital importance in Pakistan as the country topped the Condé Nast Traveler’s list of best holiday destinations for 2020 in December 2019

World Bank (WB) has said the tourism sector in Pakistan has been affected by coronavirus epidemic, therefore, both public and private sectors will have to take steps together to revive the tourism sector.

This has been said by WB country director for Pakistan Illango Patchamuthu in his message and an article.

He has said tourism sector in Pakistan has been badly impacted by coronavirus epidemic and now both the private and public sectors will have to take joint steps to revive it and steer it from the negative implications of COVID-19.

The tourism sector is of vital importance in Pakistan as the country had clinched top position in the list of best spots for tourism in December 2019.

He remarked thousands of Sikh Yatris visited Darbar Sahb and Baba Guru Nanak Janam Asthan in last year through Kartarpur corridor. Tourist family which visits Pakistan consists of 5 members per average.

Government of Pakistan has taken multiple measures for promotion of tourism. Last year PM Imran Khan had announced several steps for promotion of tourism particularly provision of visa on arrival in Pakistan.

Read more: Pakistan’s selected as World Tourism Forum host: boost for tourism industry

He pointed out COVID-19 has caused loss to the tune of over 300 billion dollars to tourism business all over the world and Pakistan is no exception to it. Tourism and other business activities affiliated with it have been adversely affected due to coronavirus epidemic in Pakistan.

Who is Illango Patchamuthu?

Illango is the World Bank’s Country Director for Pakistan. He counts over three decades of international development experience. He joined the World Bank in 1993 and has since served in many positions including leadership roles in Europe and Central Asia, East Asia and Pacific, and South Asia regions of the World Bank. He has also held managerial responsibilities in the Bank’s country offices in Bangkok, Vientiane and Kabul.

Illango has managed programs and projects in many middle and low-income countries, including leading teams that have delivered complex and innovative solutions to Bank clients in water, environment, natural resources, energy and urban sectors. He has extensive experience in overseeing the implementation of portfolios in challenging country environments. Prior to joining the Bank, he worked in the public and private sectors in Sri Lanka.

Online Int’l News with additional input by GVS News Desk