ISLAMABAD: The government on Wednesday appointed Aftabur Rehman Rana, Sustainable Tourism Foundation Pakistan president, managing director (MD) of the Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation (PTDC).
He was appointed on honorary basis with immediate effect, a press statement said. His appointment was approved in the meeting of the cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Imran Khan on April 1.
Talking to APP, Rana said that he would strive for improving the performance of the department to ensure the extensive promotion of the tourism sector.
All-out efforts would be made to mitigate the negative impacts of the coronavirus on the tourism sector of Pakistan, he added.
Rana said that special initiatives would be taken to bridge the gap between public and private sectors for sustainable growth of the tourism industry and build the image of Pakistan as a top tourism destination across the world.
He added that coordination among all the stakeholders would be enhanced for attracting more local and foreign tourists.
Rana is a seasoned tourism professional having more than 35 years of experience in the tourism industry. He is a well-known figure in the industry especially due to his pioneering efforts for the promotion of sustainable tourism, responsible tourism, ecotourism, community-based tourism, youth tourism, and heritage tourism in Pakistan.
Rana possesses vast experience in tourism policy formulation, product development, destination development, tourism human resource development, tourism planning, marketing, and promotion.
