Pakistan and Sri Lanka have agreed to explore joint cooperation in marine tourism, recognizing the immense potential of their vast coastlines and rich marine biodiversity to boost sustainable economic growth and regional connectivity.<\/p>\n
Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs Muhammad Junaid Anwar Chaudhry proposed enhanced marine tourism collaboration during a meeting with Sri Lankan Minister for Transport, Highways and Urban Development Bimal Niroshan Rathnayake, who called on him in Islamabad in Tuesday.<\/p>\n
Junaid Chaudhry highlighted that marine industries, including fisheries and tourism, play a crucial role in supporting livelihoods, especially in developing countries. \u201cThe economic living of nearly 3.0 billion people depends on the ocean economy, most of whom reside in developing regions,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Citing recent global studies, he noted that coastal and marine tourism generates about 6.5 million jobs worldwide, with the ocean economy projected to grow by 3.5 percent annually. \u201cBy 2030, marine and coastal tourism will become the largest value-added component of the marine economy, accounting for up to 26 percent of total production,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n
Pakistan, which has a 1,000-kilometer coastline, is focusing on developing its coastal and marine tourism sectors by promoting harbour cruises, recreational fishing, yachting, and maritime heritage tourism particularly around Gwadar and Karachi to diversify its blue economy.<\/p>\n
The minister proposed initiatives such as joint marine tourism routes or packages linking key coastal destinations in both countries, along with enhanced ferry services, cultural exchanges, and coordinated marketing campaigns.<\/p>\n
Sri Lankan Minister Rathnayake welcomed the proposal, saying his country\u2019s well-established marine tourism infrastructure could complement Pakistan\u2019s emerging coastal tourism market. \u201cThis cooperation could expand mutual tourism growth, increase regional visitor traffic, and promote our shared marine and cultural assets,\u201d he noted.<\/p>\n
He said Sri Lanka had recently launched a Marine Tourism Roadmap to strengthen its coastal economy through eco-friendly tourism zones and upgraded infrastructure in areas such as Kalpitiya, Trincomalee, Mannar, and Jaffna.<\/p>\n
Junaid Chaudhry added that growing interest in organized tour packages from Pakistan to Sri Lanka underscores the need for better connectivity and tourism synergies. \u201cMarine tourism cooperation between Pakistan and Sri Lanka can capitalize on established and emerging coastal strengths to create sustainable economic benefits,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Both ministers agreed that enhanced collaboration in this niche tourism sector could generate employment, promote marine conservation, and support sustainable coastal development, contributing significantly to the regional blue economy.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Pakistan and Sri Lanka have agreed to explore joint cooperation in marine tourism, recognizing the immense potential of their vast coastlines and rich marine biodiversity to boost sustainable economic growth and regional connectivity. Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs Muhammad Junaid Anwar Chaudhry proposed enhanced marine tourism collaboration during a meeting with Sri Lankan Minister for […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":68169,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[30,16],"tags":[],"ppma_author":[95],"class_list":{"0":"post-68168","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-latest","8":"category-pakistan"},"yoast_head":"\n