Islamabad, October 25,2026: The 2nd Pakistan Tourism, Sports & Family Festival 2026 will be held at the Pakistan Sports Complex, Islamabad, from November 6 to 8, bringing together tourism, sports, culture, adventure, food, traditional crafts and family entertainment under one platform.
Adviser to the Prime Minister on Tourism Sardar Yasir Ilyas Khan announced the event while addressing a ceremony at the Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI), following the signing of a memorandum of understanding between ICCI and the Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation (PTDC) to jointly promote and organize the festival.
The three-day event will feature activities including paragliding, rock climbing, tent pegging, a vintage car show, hot air balloons, cultural performances, traditional crafts and food stalls.
Sardar Yasir Ilyas Khan described tourism revival as a collective responsibility and an important means of generating economic opportunities, promoting optimism and contributing to a prosperous and stable Pakistan. He expressed hope that approximately 150,000 people would visit the festival, helping project Islamabad and Pakistan as attractive destinations for tourism, culture, sports and investment.
He stressed the need for greater international visibility to attract foreign visitors and showcase Pakistan’s capacity to host cultural, musical, sporting and tourism-related events. He also proposed engaging Pakistani diplomatic missions abroad to invite international content creators to the festival so they could highlight the country’s tourism attractions and cultural diversity to global audiences.
ICCI President Mohammad Zikria Akbar Zia said Pakistan had considerable tourism potential beyond Islamabad, particularly in northern destinations such as Swat, Chitral, Gilgit and Skardu. He called for improved air connectivity, tourism infrastructure and international outreach to attract more foreign visitors, particularly from Arab countries.
He emphasized that realizing this potential required better facilities, professional management, sustainable tourism practices and stronger public-private partnerships. He said the business community could contribute by developing tourism infrastructure, attracting investment and promoting Pakistan as a competitive international destination.
Highlighting the link between tourism and trade, the ICCI president said exhibitions, conferences and festivals could create business opportunities by bringing investors, entrepreneurs, tourists and business communities together. He described “Trade through Travel” as an effective approach to strengthening commercial relations, encouraging investment and expanding economic cooperation.
ICCI Senior Vice President Mohammad Ashfaq Hussain Chatha said tourism was a major economic sector capable of generating employment, attracting investment, promoting entrepreneurship and supporting sustainable growth. He stressed the need to develop tourism-related infrastructure and encourage private-sector participation.
ICCI Vice President Mohammad Waqas Khan Swati said the Chamber would facilitate the participation of its members, engage the business community and provide promotional and coordination support for the festival. He expressed confidence that the partnership with PTDC would create opportunities for wider cooperation in tourism promotion, investment, local enterprise development and youth employment.
Former ICCI President Sardar Tahir Mehmood also welcomed the initiative, saying such events could promote Pakistan’s tourism potential and project a positive image of the country. He emphasized the importance of involving the business community in efforts to promote domestic and international tourism.
The ceremony was attended by ICCI Executive Committee members, business leaders from various sectors, and representatives of the hospitality and hotel industry.
