CAMAT: Promoting regional culture through education and tourism in Pakistan

Project Status: 2013-2014

GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

The Chitral Association for Mountain Area Tourism (CAMAT) is a non-profit tourism association whose aim is to preserve the natural and cultural heritage of the Chitral district in Northern Pakistan and to support sustainable ecotourism activities in the region. It has developed a one-year project that focuses on tourism educational programs.

THE OBJECTIVES OF THE PROJECT ARE:

• Protect and promote indigenous culture of the communities in the Hindu Kush region.
• Incorporate tourism into the education system of the region to impact positively on the tourism industry.
• Enhance the capacity and skills of the local stakeholders such as tour guides, drivers, porters and hoteliers.
• Identify and promote local destinations for sustainable tourism in the region.

THERE ARE ECONOMIC, CULTURAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS AS A RESULT OF THIS PROJECT. THEY INCLUDE:

Income generation for select stakeholders who will be linked with potential customers. They include tour operators, guides, artisans, festivals organisers who will all benefit from CAMAT linked activities.

The protection of the indigenous culture of the Kho, Kalash and Wakhi communities in the area. These cultures are on the verge of disappearing due to modernization. The project intends to revive the cultural festivals such as Lone Bull fighting, Khot and Phindik, collect translate folklore and fairy tales of the Hindukush region, revive forgotten folksongs and folk dances and organize events on the Khowar language.

The protection of the natural environment through the development of ecotourism. This will be achieved through educational programs which raise awareness about the natural environment among school students through lectures on the natural environment, biodiversity and other environment friendly initiatives. The project will also focus on skills’ enhancement and capacity building among stakeholders in such areas as hospitality management, guiding, tour operation, product development and marketing. Each subject will incorporate environment protection and ecotourism themes.

ECOTOURISM AS A MEANS TO REVIVE LOCAL CULTURES

This project is the first in the Chitral region to combine ecotourism and the protection of cultural heritage. The involvement of students in schools about the benefits of ecotourism and the protection of natural and cultural environment is also a way to pave the future for sustainable activities in the region. CAMAT works in close collaboration with area municipalities as well as withthe World Wildlife Fund (WWF) district office in Chitral. The project also done in collaboration with District Line Departments (DLDs) such as the education department, the District Polo Association (DPA) and the District Tug of War Association (DTWA).

CONTACT

Shams Uddin
camatchitral@yahoo.com