The project developed by SDG Support Unit as part of National Initiative on Sustainable Development Goals holds the objective of analyzing sustainable tourism potential in Gilgit-Baltistan (GB). The specific objectives of the study are as follows:
·
Review of tourism sector in GB (pre
and post COVID)
·
Develop destination development
plans;
·
Tourism investment plans;
·
Visitor management plan for sustainable
tourism in the three selected zones of GB
The
study not only analyses tourism diversification for the purpose of sustainable
destination development but it also focuses on socio-economic aspects to
identify sectors with job opportunities and entrepreneurships for the local
community (men & women, youth and PWDs). The study will identify and
suggest development strategies based on the particular geographic attributes
(tangible and intangible) of the selected zones.
The
project has five steps. The first step was to develop an inception report and
expound upon the tourism sector in GB with an analytical framework for further
research and analysis. The inception report, submitted in November, was based
on site visit, meetings with GB government and tourism department and relevant
stakeholders. The consultation also advised on the selection of zones for
destination development. Through a consultative process it was decided to work
on Askole-Shigar, Ishkome-Ghizer and Parshing-Astore. The three destination
suggested have untapped potential with abundant natural resources, however they
have not been covered by prior developments. Environmental and social
sustainability with community mobilization were kept as the central theme of
the framework.
The
second phases encompassed around desk review, GB’s current policies,
international case studies for tourism and preliminary field surveys to develop
valley profiles. The second deliverable is completed and presented on 9th
April to GB government stakeholders. The report builds up on the analytical
framework presented in the inception report and has provided a guide line for
the field work in the next 2-3 months.
There
will be another visit in April for overview of understanding the valleys
followed by a derailed field survey in June. The field visit in June includes
interviews, questioners’, and site mapping after which the final proposal will
be developed for the three plans. The fourth stage will be the presentation of
the proposal to key policy makers whose feedback will be sought to finalize the
report as the fifth step by the end of June 2021.
The
study will help GB government to pilot these destinations to promote
environment friendly and community/people centric tourism.
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