Peshawar - In a landmark initiative to promote tourism in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the “Maizban” Homestay Project has been successfully launched, and interested individuals can now apply through the Bank of Khyber website.

The project was launched at a cost of Rs395 million, providing interest-free loans of up to Rs3 million to local homeowners in tourist districts to offer quality accommodation facilities to tourists. This decision was made in a meeting of the tourism department held at the Chief Minister’s Secretariat, chaired by Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur.

Advisor to the Chief Minister for Tourism Zahid Chan Zeb, Secretary of Tourism Bakhtiar Khan, DG KPCTA Tashfeen Haider, and representatives of other relevant departments attended the meeting. The meeting thoroughly reviewed various aspects of project implementation and made important decisions.

It was decided that local residents interested in providing accommodation to tourists needed to either build at least two new rooms or renovate existing ones according to the standards set by the department. These rooms offer essential facilities for tourists, including bathrooms and kitchens.

The project has been implemented in Upper Chitral, Lower Chitral, Upper Dir, Lower Dir, Mansehra, Abbottabad, and Swat districts. The loans provided to local residents are being distributed through the Bank of Khyber, with a repayment period of five years, starting from the second year after receiving the loan.

Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur, expressing his views on the project, highlighted the vast tourism potential in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, stating that “utilizing these opportunities effectively could not only enhance the province’s revenue stream but also create employment opportunities for locals.” He termed homestay tourism an ideal project for promoting tourism and the traditional hospitality of the province.