BEIJING: Eight tour operator firms from Pakistan have participated in the three-day China Outbound Travel & Tourism Mart (COTTM) exhibition in Beijing, showcasing the wealth of tourism potential in Pakistan.
Recognized as an important platform within the industry and distinguished as the exclusive business-to-business event, the COTTM exhibition is dedicated to the flourishing outbound market.
In the Chinese capital, from November 15 to 17, the Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation (PTDC) and eight private partners will participate in this event. Ambassador Khalil Hashmi, Pakistan’s envoy to China, presided over the opening of the Pakistan Pavilion at the COTTM show.
Wasi Shah, the State Minister for Tourism and SAPM on Youth Affairs, expressed that Pakistan’s involvement in this vital tourism event will boost tourism exchanges between the two countries and foster crucial business-to-business links among tour operators. He emphasized the robust friendship between Pakistan and China, inviting Chinese friends to invest openly in Pakistan.
Aftab Rana, MD PTDC, highlighted the significance of PTDC’s participation in the event, noting that it would facilitate establishing business-to-business connections between tour operators from both countries, potentially leading to increased tourist traffic.
Rana affirmed that China is a crucial market for Pakistan to attract inbound tourists, especially as the Governments of Pakistan and China have designated 2023 as the Pak-China Year of Tourism Exchange. PTDC, in collaboration with the Embassy of Pakistan in China and the Chinese Embassy in Islamabad, has been working actively to boost business-to-business links in this sector. Notably, China has now decided to open inbound group tourism to Pakistan from China, marking a positive development in this mutual effort. —APP
