ISLAMABAD: The National Command and Operations Centre (NCOC) has directed the provinces to devise guidelines for managing tourism to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus.
The direction came during the NCOC meeting today (Saturday) chaired by Federal Planning and Development Minister Asad Umar. The meeting discussed opening up of the tourism sector with SOPs to contain the coronavirus outbreak.
The meeting also pointed out the violations of SOPs at all tourist spots. “If tourism is not managed adequately, it might lead to another virus outbreak,” the meeting warned.
The NCOC directed the administrations of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir to make all efforts to enforce SOPs on incoming tourists.
The Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) include the usage of facemask and density control meaning a limited number of tourists can be allowed at a time. “The provinces must take measures to control the flow of tourists to various destinations,” the forum added.
“For the next three weeks, special efforts to ramp up testing and contact tracing of tourists through establishing of special sentinel sites at tourist spots and airports will be ensured,” the meeting informed.
Earlier on August 6, Federal Planning and Development Minister Asad Umar announced that the federal government had decided to reopen restaurants, cinemas, theatres and parks from August 10.
Asad Umar announced that all tourism spots and hotels will reopen on August 8. The affiliated businesses were instructed to follow all preventive measures to prevent coronavirus.
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