ISLAMABAD : 30 Jan 2026 – Prime Minister’s Coordinator on Tourism, Sardar Yasir Ilyas Friday announced that Pakistan’s largest-ever Tourism, Sports and Family Festival will commence on Saturday at the Pakistan Sports Complex, Islamabad, marking a major step toward reviving and mainstreaming the country’s tourism sector after years of neglect as tourism in Pakistan had been left on its own for last decades with no tourism policy , no facilities provided to domestic tourists at any spot.
Addressing a press conference, Sardar Yasir Ilyas said the mega festival would open a new chapter for tourism in Pakistan and would later be replicated in other provinces. He termed the event a first-of-its-kind initiative in the federal capital, designed as a fully family-friendly festival with activities for children, youth and tourists from all walks of life.
He said the government was introducing innovation in the tourism sector, adding that youth-oriented training courses were being launched to create skilled human resources. “Pakistan is a peaceful and hospitable country, and our nation is globally known for its unmatched tradition of hospitality,” he said.
The prime minister’s coordinator said the festival would feature food, games, handicrafts and jewelry stalls, while cultures of all four provinces, Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir would be showcased. He said the initiative was aligned with Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif’s vision to develop tourism as a full-fledged industry, noting that Pakistan holds immense untapped tourism potential.
Providing details of adventure sports, he said paragliding from the Margalla Hills, air ballooning, power gliding, tent pegging, cycling, and a marathon with a prize of Rs 100,000 would be key attractions. Top paragliders from across the country will participate, flying from Margalla Hills and landing at the Cricket Ground near the Sports Complex. A dedicated area has been designated for photography and spectators.
He said over 300 vintage cars and classic motorcycles would be displayed, along with rallies, while rock climbing and zip-lining activities would be arranged for youth and children. Pakistan’s leading mountaineers will also be present to guide young participants and promote adventure tourism in collaboration with the Alpine Club and other partners.
Speaking on the occasion, Managing Director Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation (PTDC), Aftab ur Rehman Rana, said PTDC had launched a national tourism calendar under which more than 50 events would be organized across the country.
He said Islamabad was being developed as a gateway city, with strong potential for adventure, sports, medical, recreational and cultural tourism, which could significantly contribute to economic growth.
He said the festival would host stalls of PTDC and other departments, women chambers, hotels, tour operators, hospitality institutes and cultural groups from different provinces and countries. “This event is aimed at creating public awareness about tourism, culture and heritage, as tourism already contributes around 5.6 percent to Pakistan’s GDP,” he added.
He said the government had formulated a 10-year National Tourism Strategy, setting a target to increase tourism’s contribution to 10 percent of GDP, generating jobs and boosting foreign exchange earnings. Diplomats will also be engaged to project Pakistan’s positive image internationally, while foreign participants will be invited to future events such as the Cholistan Rally.
The organizers said strict security arrangements and traffic management plans had been finalized. The festival is being organized jointly with the Ministry of Inter-Provincial Coordination (IPC) and other partners, and similar events will be held in other cities and provinces in the coming months.
Joint Secretary, Ministry of Inter-Provincial Coordination (IPC), Amjad Ali Gill, said the festival reflects strong inter-ministerial collaboration aimed at reviving tourism and sports across the country.
He said the Ministry of IPC is fully supporting the initiative to promote healthy activities, youth engagement and family recreation in a secure environment. He added that comprehensive security and traffic management arrangements have been finalized, and such events will be replicated in other cities to ensure inclusive participation from all provinces.
Here it is worth mentioning that Pakistani tourism is going on only two types of tourism. 1- Domestic Tourism 2- Religious Tourism only for which neither the concerned departments or ministries bother to do anything nor these tourists ask for anything. There is no foreign tourism for sight seeing.
Editor Tazeen Akhtar of Pakistan in the World could not get the answer from the gentlemen sitting on the stage that how many foreign tourists , other than religious tourists (Sikhs mostly) visited Pakistan in last one year?
No demestic tourist families can find any place in the motels and guest houses of Pakistan Tourism Department anywhere in Pakistan. Mostly their spaces are occupied by the officials and their families or friends. Common Pakistanis go to sight seeing on their own with no guaidance from PTDC and having no welcome from the staff anywhere.
The tourism apathy for the domestic tourists can be seen very well in the unfortunate incidents occurred during last couple of years when the families died in their cars at the snow packed and blocked roads in Murree in the chilling nights with no help reached. The families were drowned in the rivers in KPK with no emergency rescue anywhere.
Two provinces of Pakistan having many tourist sights of every type, landscape, heritage etc are like no go areas for terrorists’ attacks there. Gilgit Baltistan is high sensitive territory for especially foreigners. Security and lack of infrastruture are major obstables in the promotion of tourism in our country.
For development of tourism sector, the shortcomings should be addressed properly. Pakistan needs a comprehensive tourism policy that cover all types of tourism and the tourism should be seen in the categaries as mentioned above and not just as tourism as a whole.
Hospitality is very nice as Pakistanis are the most hospitable people but we have a history of attacks on foreigners including Chinese in the past. Not only it is about the past but on 30 Jan as well, the day when this press conference was held , two foreigners were robbed on gun point. That not in some far flunge area of the country but in the capital city at Margalla Trail 3.
The foreigners robbed of two cell phones and currency belong to United Nations. The concerned system United Nations Security Managment System UNDSS has advised the members of UN community in Islamabad to remain vigilant, avoiding isolated areas and walking in groups while using the trails.
