ANTALYA: A high level delegation from Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) comprising of Jafarullah Khan, Deputy Speaker of Gilgit Baltistan Legislative Assembly, Kazim Niaz, Chief Secretary, GB, and Waqar Ali Khan, Secretary Tourism GB visited Antalya, Turkey and attended HESTOUREX – World Health Sport Tourism Congress & Exhibition held from 5-8 April 2018.

Leading private tour operators from GB also participated in the event. GB Tourism Department established a Pavilion at HESTOUREX 2018. More than 4000 participants from various countries attended the event. Visitors greatly appreciated the natural beauty and adventure tourism potential of GB, Pakistan. Among many prominent visitors, Foreign Minister of Turkey Mevlut Cavusoglu also visited the GB Pavilion.

The Turkish Foreign Minister announced that he along with the Turkish Economy Minister would visit GB, Pakistan during the current year. He emphasized upon increasing the mutual touristic exchanges and linkages between the two countries.

On the sidelines of the event, the delegation also held meetings with Munir Karaloglu, Governor of Antalya, Menderes Mehmet Tevfik Turel, Mayor of Antalya Metropolitan Municipality, Ercan Mutlu, Vice President, Antalya Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ATSO) and Firuz Baglikaya, President, Turkish Travel Agencies Association (Tursab).

Meetings were focused on exploring the possibilities of Turkish tourists visiting GB, Pakistan. Tursab President and ATSO Vice President conveyed that they would very soon visit GB along with a delegation of tour operators in order to explore new avenues of cooperation between GB and Turkey.—NNI