editorial/ cover story - Air World

SPECIAL REPORT
Message
Mr. Mohammad Ali
Malkani
Honourable Minister
for Tourism, Govt. of
Sindh
I feel delighted as my Tourism
Department has made timely
efforts to Celebrate World
Tourism Day and launching of
Books, Brochures, Video
Documentaries on Sindh
Tourism.
On the occasion of World
Tourism Day 2012 I would like to
take this opportunity to invite the
people of Pakistan and the World
to visit Sindh for the purpose of
tourism and leisure. Government
of Sindh is fully committed for
the promotion of tourism and is
investing heavily on
infrastructure development and
promotion. For the first time
Sindh Tourism Development
Corporation (STDC) has
produces comprehensive and
quality literature, including
guides, maps and books on
various tourism related aspects of
the province.
After the devolution of Federal
Tourism Ministry and transfer of
power to provinces, tourism
became a provincial matter. Since
then Sindh Tourism Ministry
with its subsidiary STDC is
involved in the upbringing of
various tourist sites in the
province. Sindh being the land of
Sufism and cradle for many
civilizations is blessed with many
sites that are worth visiting, but
before we invite people to visit us
we wanted to be ready, so that we
can offer best possible facilities
to our guests.
All cabanas at Keenjhar Lake
Resort have been fully renovated
and work of beautification and
landscaping at the Resort in
underway. Renovation world of
rest house at Haleji Lake is
underway while the construction
of restaurant at Shah Jahan
Mosque has started. Gorakh Hill
project is fast take shape under
the watchful surveillance of
Gorakh Hill Development
Corporation.
Our Directorate of Tourism
Services (DTS) is serving better
to achieve the targets of
licensing to tour operators and
travel agencies, while generating
revenue for Nation. Meanwhile,
the activities of Tour Operators
and travel agencies are also being
monitored by DTS.
Pakistan Institute of Tourism and
Hotel Management (PITHM) is
imparting valuable services in the
field of training youth for the
travel and tourism industry. All
out efforts are made to upgrade
the Institute in terms of faculty
and facilities for the students.
Today we stand committed with
rest of the world in celebrating
the World Tourism Day 2012
with the message of peace and
harmony, according to the themes
of tourism and sustainable
development in our jurisdiction
in global perspectives. We are
showing to the world that
Pakistan, in general and Sindh, in
particular is the land of love and
we welcome our guests with open
arms at Sindh destination.
With Compliments
MESSAGE
Mr. Muhammad
Naseer Jamali
The Secretary Tourism
Department
Govt. of Sindh
This year, the theme of The
United Nations World Tourism
Organization (UNWTO) is set as
“Tourism and Energy: Powering
Sustainable Development”. The
World Tourism Day celebration
has given an opportunity to meet
and reflects to share our
experience and knowledge in two
fields, tourism and sustainability
that are very important for the
development and well-being of
our peoples. The UNWTO makes
fruitful collaboration. Such
cooperation plays key role in the
relationship among the member
countries including Pakistan.
Sindh province is blessed with
natural beauties and
archaeological and even oldest
historical places of tourism, as
any other country in the world.
But, we are not making so proper
and perfect use of our resources
to earn for this Nation. The Indus
valley Sindh is river streams,
beautiful landscape, rich
agriculture fields, ancient
archeological sites, sweet water
lakes, vast Thar Desert, cultural
variety and arts and crafts. This
Land gives a look of live cultural
panorama. Arts and crafts and
even artisans are seen
everywhere. Folklore, classics of
music and poetry are regular
features of lifestyle. Shrines of
mystic poets and saints are found
in every part of Sindh. The horse
and cattle shows have legacy of
our rich agricultural past and
present. Thus, that history starts
from Tourism; as a result, they
owned the Sindhi culture, Sindhi
language and local social norms.
There are many world class
tourism places to visit the Sindh.
I feel delighted as our Sindh
Tourism Department has made
timely efforts to Celebrate World
Tourism Day and launching
awareness material in the form of
Books, Brochures, Video
Documentaries on Sindh
Tourism and providing facilities
to the tourists.
The last financial year has been
the story of past with the
Landmarks left behind, while
highlighting the completed
targets, successfully.
Lastly, I invite tourists to enjoy
our historical, natural and
cultural heritage. It is our hope
that this date will constitute
another step towards the
recognition of the tourism
sector's crucial economic and
social contribution and the
importance of renewable energy
for social, economic and
environmental sustainability, as
theme of World Tourism Day
2012.
With best wishes
AIR WORLD October 2012-5