Sports, Culture, Tourism, Archaeology and Youth Affairs Department initiative under Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Integrated Tourism Project (KITE) have awarded 03 Contracts for Conservation, Preservation and Development of 09 Archaeological Sites in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. These sites include Bhamala World Heritage Site Khanpur, Shapola Stupa-Khyber District, Jamrud Fort-Khyber District, 3 Historical Mosques in Swat i.e. Pishmal Mosque, Main Kalam Mosque and Udegram Mosque, Hund Museum Swabi, Chakdara Museums, Dir Lower and Mardan Museum Mardan
One of the main objective of KITE is to promote and develop culture and religious tourism by exploring Archaeological Treasures. Hence the initiative to preserve the archaeological sites and to make these sites hub for cultural and religious tourism was undertaken. The sites included in the scheme are highly important, globally known with one of them is already enlisted on the prestigious World Heritage List of UNESCO.
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The activities under these contracts will include conservation work – structural remains shall be preserved, expansion and face lifting of existing buildings, display of objects, illumination, Provision of tourist/ visitors’ facilities i.e. information center, Tuck and Souvenir shops, Cafeteria, Paths, Toilets, Audio/Video solutions, Parking, Benches, Dust Bins.
The Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (GoKP) is undertaking several initiatives to employ the tourism sector as a key driver of economic growth and job creation in the province. To create an enabling environment for the private sector to participate and develop the tourism value chain, the GoKP has entered into a partnership with the World Bank through an International Development Association (IDA) loan for the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Integrated Tourism Development (KITE) Project.
KITE is a $70 million IDA (World Bank) project which aims to create tourism-enabling infrastructure, enhance tourism assets and strengthen destination management for sustainable tourism development in the province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP).
KITE is also working on other initiatives of institutional strengthening of Directorate of Archeology Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. One such initiative is the installation of 540 archaeological signboards in 10 districts in the province. So far 69 directional signboards have been installed in Mardan while installation of 62 informational signboards at archaeological sites in Takht Bai, Jamal Garhi and Shabaz Garhi is in process. Taking the good work forward 130 signboards will be installed in district Swat.
