As an important step towards promoting tourism in the province, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been signed between the Tourism Department Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and the Bank of Khyber for the implementation of the provincial government’s Homestay Tourism Program “Maizban”. A ceremony in this regard was held on Wednesday at the Chief Minister’s House in Peshawar, with Chief Minister Ali Amin Khan Gandapur as the chief guest. This unique project by the provincial government is being launched initially in seven districts of the province — Upper Chitral, Lower Chitral, Upper Dir, Lower Dir, Mansehra, Abbottabad, and Swat — at an initial cost of Rs. 395 million. Under the program, interest-free loans of up to Rs. 3 million will be provided to local residents through the Bank of Khyber to offer quality residential facilities to tourists within their homes. Individuals meeting the required eligibility criteria will be able to obtain loans to renovate existing rooms or construct two new rooms for providing accommodation to tourists within their home premises. These rooms will be equipped with all necessary facilities, including bathrooms and kitchens. The loan repayment period will be five years, with repayment starting from the second year of loan disbursement. Chief Minister Ali Amin Khan Gandapur termed the Homestay Tourism Project as a flagship initiative of the provincial government for promoting tourism. He stated that the launch of the “Mezban” program would not only ensure quality and safe accommodation facilities for tourists but also serve as a source of livelihood for the local population. The Chief Minister further emphasized that the provincial government is working to promote tourism as an industry. “While ensuring the provision of facilities at existing tourist destinations, progress is also being made on the development of new tourist sites,” he added and reiterated his government resolve for promoting tourism in the province with the aim to create maximum employment opportunities for the local people.
