The document proposes boosting rural tourism in Pakistan through a grant to provide 1000 camping pods to about 400 remote villages and hamlets. It outlines a framework to organize local communities to manage the pods, with individuals trained in hospitality and guiding. Revenue would be shared among community members and reinvested. The rural support programs would help mobilize communities and an initial Rs. 5 billion is estimated for pods and costs, expected to generate rural income and employment while promoting cultural heritage. Challenges include low winter utilization and ensuring proper community management and hygiene training.

1. BOOSTING RURAL TOURISM THROUGH
GRANTS OF CAMPING PODS AS
PRODUCTIVE INVESTMENT
BACKGROUND
 The Department initially installed at five sites locally made
camping pods.
 The pods proved to be viable investment.
 Agreement reached with UNDP for supply of Rs.250 million worth
pods.
 It is now planned to extend the facility to villages and hamlets
which are off the beaten track.

2. CONCEPTUAL FRAME WORK:
 The Integrated rural development programme in Daudzai and subsequently
in the Aga khan rural support Programme indicates that rural communities
have to be organized into village level organization.
 These village organizations may be formed around an activity to generate
income and provide trainings.
 To intervene in the tourism sector we have to mobilize the communities in
the touristic scenic regions of the province .
 These village level organizations have to nominate two to three individuals
who have to be trained in Tourist guide and basic hospitality .
 Terms of partnership have to developed for allotting camping pods from
two to three to an organization comprising of a hamlet.
 The income generated from these pods have to be equitably distributed
among the active members of the village organizations who directly deals
the tourist as host and guides.

3.  A portion of the revenue generated has to be reinvested for the up keep of
these tourist facilities , creation of artifacts and other outlets facilitating the
visiting tourists.
 To avoid duplication the hunza paying guest and home stay model of Aga
Khan Rural Support programme has to be emulated keeping in view the
cultural intricacies of each region.
 In the given circumstances the Sarhad Rural support Programme and Aga
Khan rural support programme may be engaged to mobilize the touristic
regions mutually identified by the Tourism department.
 The Deputy Commissioners may be the focal persons for both the rural
support programs and Department of Tourism at the district level , while
Assistant Commissioners at Tehsil level and similarly Tehsildar level for
mozas.
 The rural support programmes would explain the package in the first
dialogue the terms of partnership followed by nomination of persons by the
communities .
 Subsequently in the second dialogue the terms for further cooperation for
promoting as an income generating activity would be mutually agreed.

4. FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS:
 The second dialogue would spell out the responsibilities of the communities
at large and the basic hygiene and maintenance of the donate pods
estimate roughly at PKR three million for a give village or hamlet at time.
 The initial programme may be started in Naran, Galyat and mastuj region
with grant of 1000 Camping pods for around four hundred settlements.
 This process would basically based on learning by doing or participatory
method that may be dove tailed from region to region . The first two years
by evaluated by a third party to take to further region of the province.
 The operational costs be 20 percent of the total investment costs in which
ten percent may be shared as cost component of sociali mobilization and 10
percent as logistics and movement cost of Official government machinery.
 Initially an amount of Rupees Five Billion may be ear marked for the
purpose including 1000 camping pods cost.
 The tentative financial implications are estimated at Rs.3 million multiply by
1000 camping pods is equal to Rs.30 billion,
 wherein Rs. 1 billion shall include operation and maintenance and training
costs beside monitoring.

5. EXCEPTED OUT PUT:
 The far-flung areas would become tourists hubs.
 Formers would sell their organic produce to these tourist.
 The concept is environment friendly.
 Tourism will be propagated as income generating activity at grass root level.
 Employment generation through multiplier effect for women, men and youth.
 The cultural artifacts and traditional wisdom will travel as stories in the form
of word of mouth through out the hospitality industry.

6. CHALLENGES :
 The facility of pods would remain at low utilization level during winter.
 Some pods may be miss used and disappear through distortion.
 Proper Terms of partnership needs to be signed with host communities.
 Proper hygiene and do’s N don’ts basic training to be provided.