Staff Reporter
Pakistan’s tourism sector took a major step towards a technology-driven future with the launch of GOPKZ, an artificial intelligence-powered digital tourism ecosystem, with Sardar Yasir Ilyas Khan, Advisor and National Coordinator to the Prime Minister on Tourism, leading the ceremony as chief guest.
Held at a local hotel in Islamabad, the launch brought together representatives of Pakistan’s tourism industry, the diplomatic community and the private sector, highlighting the country’s vast tourism potential and the growing need to connect it with technology, investment and global markets.
Sardar Yasir Ilyas Khan has emerged as a prominent voice for the development and international promotion of Pakistan’s tourism industry, advocating greater private-sector participation, investment and modern infrastructure to transform the country’s tourism potential into a sustainable economic opportunity. His presence at the GOPKZ launch underscored the growing convergence between national tourism leadership and technology-led private-sector initiatives aimed at making Pakistan a more accessible and competitive destination for international travellers.
Speaking on the occasion, Sardar Yasir Ilyas Khan emphasised the importance of harnessing Pakistan’s immense tourism potential and creating an environment in which innovation, investment and private enterprise can contribute meaningfully to the sector’s growth.
GOPKZ brings accommodation, tours, experiences, transportation and intelligent trip planning together within a single digital ecosystem. Its AI-powered travel companion, Nigehban, enables travellers to communicate their requirements through simple prompts and receive personalised travel recommendations and solutions.
The initiative is being led by Muhammad Shahroz Habib, Group Executive Vice President of Siddiqi Hospitality and GOPKZ, who has overseen the platform’s strategy, development and execution. The launch was also attended by Managing Director PTDC Aftab ur Rehman Rana, diplomats, tourism representatives and members of the corporate community.
For Pakistan, the significance of technology-enabled tourism extends well beyond convenience. The country possesses an extraordinary range of tourism assets, from the high mountains of Gilgit-Baltistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to its historic cities, cultural heritage and coastal destinations. Yet the sector continues to face challenges in digital integration, connectivity and the ease with which visitors can discover, plan and access tourism services.
The emergence of AI-powered platforms such as GOPKZ offers an opportunity to bridge some of these gaps by bringing fragmented tourism services together and giving domestic and international travellers a more personalised way to discover Pakistan.
Shahroz Habib said Pakistan’s tourism potential needed to be connected with technology, opportunity and the wider world, adding that strong national leadership combined with private-sector innovation could create new possibilities for the country’s tourism industry.
The launch of GOPKZ marks a significant development in Pakistan’s evolving digital tourism landscape and reflects a broader effort to position the country as a modern, competitive and technology-enabled global tourism destination, with national tourism leadership and homegrown innovation working together to turn Pakistan’s immense tourism potential into a globally accessible economic opportunity.
