PTDC starts Covid-related training program for tour guides, restaurant managements

ISLAMABAD – Managing Director of Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation (PTDC) Aftab-Ur-Rehman Rana Wednesday said that PTDC has begun a special virus-related training program for local tour operators, hotel and restaurant management for promoting responsible tourism activities after the long gap of Covid lockdown. This initiative will help us projecting a soft, peaceful, and Corona-secure tourist-friendly image of Pakistan to the world, he said while speaking to a private news channel.

MD PTDC said the purpose of the new SOPs and guidelines was to promote ‘secured & responsible tourism’ where all relevant staff of Rescue-1122, health workers, hotel staff, and tour operators would get training regarding Corona SOPs.

He said workers of hotels, guest houses, restaurants, tour operators, and tour guides have been vaccinated against Corona, adding, providing international standard facilities and a Covid-secure atmosphere to domestic as well as international tourists is at our topmost priorities. He said every tourist aged above 50 should compulsorily carry Corona negative certificate and National Identity Card before departure for tourist sites, adding, same vaccination condition would also be strictly applied for above aged 30 to 40 from the month of July. He said the government was doing its best to take all stakeholders in confidence and conduct large-scale training and awareness sessions for people related to the tourism industry.

He said hotels would not allow any entry without face mask and the reception of the hotel would be disinfected after the passage of every 6 to 8 hours.

“Government was paying special attention on the development of tourism sectors with adopting all Covid related precautionary measures, as well as attracting more foreign and local investment to revive the country’s economic growth”, he added.