ISLAMABAD, Aug 21 (ABC): The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government is implementing a $100 million World Bank-supported project to improve tourism infrastructure and access to key tourist destinations across the province.
According to documents available with Wealth Pakistan, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Integrated Tourism Development Project (KITE) also aims to strengthen institutional capacity for sustainable tourism development.
The International Development Association (IDA), the World Bank’s development financing arm, is supporting the project.
The Project Management Unit of the Communication and Works Department and project management units of the Department of Tourism are executing the project.
Financing increased to $100 million
The KITE project originally carried financing of $70 million, equivalent to Rs14 billion.
The financing was subsequently increased by $30 million, taking total IDA financing to $100 million. The documents put the revised rupee value at Rs24.304 billion.
In addition, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has committed Rs3 billion for land acquisition under the project.
The increased financing will support the project’s objectives of improving tourism infrastructure and making key tourist destinations more accessible.
Project to support sustainable tourism
The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) approved the revised project on May 14, 2025.
The project is scheduled to close on April 30, 2027.
KITE focuses on improving tourism infrastructure while strengthening the institutional framework needed to support sustainable tourism development across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Improved accessibility to tourist destinations forms a key part of the project, alongside institutional capacity building in the tourism sector.
The project combines $100 million in IDA financing with the provincial government’s Rs3 billion commitment for land acquisition.
Through these investments, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government aims to improve access to key tourist destinations and strengthen the infrastructure and institutional capacity needed for sustainable growth of the province’s tourism sector.
