CONCEPT NOTE TOURISM AUTHORITY

OVERVIEW:In wake of the eighteenth amendment & devolution process in April 2011 the Ministry of Tourism was wound up with the assets of the Ministry transferred to the respective provincial departments in this case tourism department and its attached formation the Tourism Corporation. The regional office Peshawar of tourist Services with all the powers to issue, renew licensing for tourism ventures and training institute staff of hotel and management devolved to the province. It is also worth maintaining that the province has edge in Ghandara or a millennia old historical monuments.

RATIONALE:The department of Tourism has now to deal with four of attached formations almost with similar mandate. The requirement is to eliminate compartmentalization and bring harmonization with better utilization of material and technical resources. Keeping in view this goal on the analogy of National Tourism Board or similar authorities anywhere else Tourism Authority with the incumbent Secretary Tourism as Chairman Board of Directors, with Chief Secretary as its patron in Chief is the logical set up with line department secretaries as members and relevant private sector / civil society as members however ex-officio. The tourist training wing, tourists service wing, archaeological sites attendants and curators and the Tourism Corporation are clubbed as four subordinate wings under the Chairman Authority each designated as team leader.

The organogram stands flexible with members of teams with support or auxiliary personnel.

THE FRAME WORK:Initially the Thrust of authority after initial promulgation as ordinance and thus finally an act it provides one window to the entrepreneurs related to Tourism industry. Initially public sector may lead to fill in the vacuum lately options on circulation for the Chairman and thus consensus approach to all matters be addressed too.

It is imperative that at all times the nation of hospitality and its remittances may be encouraged within existing hujra, beetak and or other guest rooms in the communities. The communities be supported to support their heritage assets tourism resources and culture. The maximum sharing of public private participation in regular deliberations would encourage the authority at all levels down to the hamlet and village in far flung mountainous areas too. The forecast for investment which in this case is human capital reallocation optimally would result an internet rate of both economic and financial at fifteen percent without fears of insecurity and terrorism. It is due to the partnership of local and private / civil sector.

TIME FRAMEThe preparation of draft ordinance and thereafter act may not be more than a man month job with out waiting for any assistance from any quarters now to kick start. Thereafter a seed money of 5 through ten billion Pakistani rupees be allocated as self-sustaining endowment with equal amount for development inter alia in first 03 years.

FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONSIn the two through three and thereafter five years a lump sum grant in aid between 15 to 50 million PKR may be required for detailed, design and implementation with half of this amount as endowment fund.