Punjab Promotes Vibrant Tourism to Attract Domestic and Foreign Visitors: Bhutta

By Muhammad Shahzad – Staff Reporter

Lahore, Pakistan — Secretary for Tourism, Archaeology and Museums Punjab, Dr. Ehsan Bhutta, has reaffirmed the provincial government’s commitment to fostering a vibrant and sustainable tourism industry by engaging hotels, restaurants, travel agencies, and tour operators in its development initiatives.

Speaking while chairing a meeting to review progress on the registration and renewal of tourism-related businesses, Dr. Bhutta said the Tourism Department is implementing a series of reforms to attract both domestic and international visitors and to strengthen the province’s hospitality sector.

He urged all tourism operators to complete their registration with the Directorate of Tourist Services (DTS) in order to benefit from the government’s facilitation measures. The meeting was attended by Managing Director Tourism Punjab Asim Raza, Additional Secretary Sadaf Zafar, and other senior officials.

Dr. Bhutta highlighted that the department has introduced a digital registration and renewal system to simplify procedures, enhance transparency, and support stakeholders. These steps, he said, align with the Punjab Government’s broader vision of promoting responsible, inclusive, and high-quality tourism across the province.

According to official figures, 1,105 tourism entities have been registered or renewed under the DTS system, including 523 new registrations and 582 renewals, generating Rs. 25.58 million in revenue. Newly registered businesses include 184 hotels, 297 restaurants, 41 travel and tour operators, and one tourist guide, while renewals cover 116 hotels, 65 restaurants, 396 travel and tour operators, and five tourist guides.

Dr. Bhutta commended the DTS teams for ensuring transparent and efficient operations and noted that the Punjab Tourism Squad (PTS) is assisting DTS in field activities across major cities including Murree, Rawalpindi, Lahore, Faisalabad, and Multan.

For public facilitation, he added, the 1421 Helpline (UAN) remains operational for complaint redressal and information related to registered tourism service providers.