KARACHI: The Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) and the Islamic Chamber of Commerce and Development (ICCD) jointly organised the Sustainable Tourism Forum (STF) in Karachi, in collaboration with the Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation (PTDC).
President of the FPCCI Atif Ikram Sheikh announced that the governor of Razavi Khorasan province in Iran has extended an invitation to the Pakistani business community to enhance bilateral trade and economic cooperation, particularly with Razavi Khorasan.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif sent a special message for the occasion, praising the ICCD’s efforts to promote sustainable tourism. He described the STF as a transformative international platform aimed at reshaping global tourism and reaffirmed the government’s commitment to supporting entrepreneurial initiatives in this sector. The prime minister emphasised the importance of partnerships between the government, private sector and international stakeholders to establish Pakistan as a premier tourism destination and contribute to the growth of the OIC tourism market.
Gholam Hossein Mozaffari, governor of Razavi Khorasan, also encouraged the Pakistani business community to foster greater trade, economic, cultural, religious and tourism exchanges with Iran.
Sheikh called on Islamic countries to collaborate in developing the tourism industry, noting its potential to drive economic growth and prosperity. “Tourism supports and invigorates multiple allied industries, with many economies thriving solely on tourism activities,” he remarked. He highlighted that for several OIC member states, tourism serves as a critical source of foreign exchange, large-scale employment opportunities, poverty alleviation and community development.
Yousef Khalawi, secretary general of the ICCD, highlighted the significance of the Sustainable Tourism Forum as a pivotal platform for advancing sustainable tourism practices across the Islamic world. He underscored tourism’s potential to attract foreign direct investment and act as a catalyst for economic development. Khalawi stressed the importance of promoting sustainability by implementing global standards and best practices in local communities through collaborative efforts with international partners.
Zehra Zumrut Selcuk, former Turkish minister of family and social services and director-general of the Statistical, Economic, and Social Research and Training Centre for Islamic Countries (SESRIC), elaborated on the private sector’s critical role in fostering sustainable tourism among OIC member countries.
