Family Festival to be held in Islamabad from November 6-8: Yasir Ilyas

ISLAMABAD
Adviser to the Prime Minister on Tourism Sardar Yasir Ilyas Khan has announced that the 2nd Pakistan Tourism, Sports & Family Festival 2026 will be held from November 6 to 8 at Pakistan Sports Complex, Islamabad, bringing together tourism, sports, culture, adventure, food, crafts, family entertainment and public engagement under one platform.
He made this announcement while addressing a ceremony at the Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI) following the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between ICCI and the Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation (PTDC) to jointly promote and ensure the successful organization of the festival.
The three-day festival will feature a wide range of activities, including paragliding, rock climbing, tent pegging, a vintage car show, hot air balloons, cultural performances, family entertainment, traditional crafts and food stalls, offering visitors a vibrant celebration of Pakistan’s cultural diversity, tourism potential and recreational attractions.
Sardar Yasir Ilyas Khan said that reviving tourism was a collective responsibility and a powerful means of replacing disappointment with happiness, hope and economic opportunities. He emphasized the need for all stakeholders to take ownership of the initiative to help build an economically prosperous and stable Pakistan for future generations.
Expressing confidence in the festival’s success, he hoped that approximately 150,000 people would visit the event, which would play a significant role in projecting Islamabad and Pakistan as attractive destinations for tourism, culture, sports and investment.
He stressed that greater international visibility was essential to attract foreign visitors and demonstrate Pakistan’s capacity to host vibrant cultural, musical, sporting and tourism-related events. He proposed engaging Pakistan’s diplomatic missions abroad to invite international content creators to the festival, enabling them to showcase Pakistan’s tourism attractions and cultural richness to global audiences.
ICCI President Mohammad Zikria Akbar Zia said Pakistan possessed exceptional tourism potential extending far beyond Islamabad, particularly in the country’s northern areas, including Swat, Chitral, Gilgit and Skardu. He emphasized the need to improve air connectivity, tourism infrastructure and international outreach to attract more foreign tourists, particularly from Arab countries.
The ICCI President emphasized that translating this potential into tangible economic benefits required improved facilities, professional management, sustainable tourism practices and stronger public-private partnerships. He said the business community could play a vital role in developing tourism infrastructure, attracting investment and promoting Pakistan as a competitive international destination.
Highlighting the close relationship between tourism and trade, Mohammad Zikria Akbar Zia said exhibitions, conferences and festivals could generate significant business opportunities by bringing investors, entrepreneurs, tourists and business communities together. He termed “Trade through Travel” an effective approach to strengthening commercial relations, promoting investment and expanding economic cooperation.
ICCI Senior Vice President Mohammad Ashfaq Hussain Chatha said tourism was not merely a recreational activity but a dynamic economic sector capable of generating employment, attracting investment, promoting entrepreneurship and contributing to sustainable economic growth. He stressed the importance of developing tourism-related infrastructure and encouraging private-sector participation to unlock the sector’s full potential.
ICCI Vice President Mohammad Waqas Khan Swati said the Chamber would facilitate the participation of its members, engage the business community and extend promotional and coordination support for the festival. He expressed confidence that the collaboration with PTDC would provide a strong foundation for broader cooperation in tourism promotion, investment, local enterprise development and youth employment.
Former ICCI President Sardar Tahir Mehmood appreciated the initiative to organize the Pakistan Tourism, Sports & Family Festival, emphasizing that such events could play a significant role in promoting Pakistan’s tourism potential and projecting a positive image of the country.
He also stressed the importance of engaging the business community in initiatives aimed at promoting 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.