Pakistan hopes Dubai Expo pavilion will attract Gulf nations to desert rally this winter

KARACHI: Raja Nasir Ali Khan, the minister of tourism and sports for the mountainous Gilgit-Baltistan region, said Pakistan wanted to use the Dubai Expo to showcase the country’s tourism potential and attract Gulf nations to a planned winter sports festival this year, particularly to participate in a desert rally.
Gilgit-Baltistan is home to the Himalayas and the world’s second highest mountain K2. In 2018, it was listed by Forbes among the 10 “coolest places” to visit. The region’s economy is largely dependent on tourism and was severely hit last year as outbreaks of COVID-19 and travel curbs deterred tourists from flocking to GB’s glacial lakes, valleys and 8,000-meter-plus peaks.
This year, the government is banking on the arrival of a large number of tourists on account of fewer coronavirus infections and the loosening of domestic travel restrictions as well as visas on arrival for 65 nationalities.
From Gulf nations, Pakistan hopes people will come to participate in a rally in the Sarfaranga Desert, also known as the Skardu Cold desert, the tourism minister told Arab News.
Located at a height of 7,500 feet, it is the world’s highest desert where car rallies have been held for the last many years.
Khan said Pakistan had set up a huge pavilion, costing $28.72 million, at the Expo 2020 Dubai which will kick off next month, and hoped to use the platform to showcase the country’s “tourism potential” for winter and summer sports, particularly before Gulf countries.
“The people [from Gulf nations] will have opportunities to get firsthand knowledge of what we [Pakistan] have to offer them in northern parts of the country,” Khan said. “We will showcase our products like dry fruits and handicrafts and gems stones.”
“Through Dubai Expo 2020 our target is Gulf countries as we want their people should participate in the cold desert rally,” he said, adding that 150 drivers and over 100 bikers had participated in the last event.
Khan said he expected participation to increase by at least 50 percent this year as coronavirus rules had been relaxed.
“We want international participation, especially from Arab countries, for the event,” the minister said.