By Muhammad Nadeem Bhatti
Our world is comprised of 195 countries in which 193 are the member states of UN (United Nations). Due to this global connectivity, adopting the culture and heritage of other countries has become very popular. People all over the globe love visiting other countries so that they get to know more about the world and the people living in it. We can say that tourism, if properly managed, can do wonders in developing and enhancing friendly relations among different countries. Also, one can get a better understanding of international standards by visiting other states and learning their cultures.
College of Tourism & Hotel Management (COTHM) is the only college in Pakistan that is internationally recognized and acknowledged, and affiliated and accredited by the top ranking British, American and European awarding bodies in the fields of hospitality, travel, tourism, food safety, and baking. COTHM has 16 fully equipped campuses across the country, offering international-level hospitality and tourism education to its students.
In Pakistan, hospitality and tourism industries have immense potential for creating professional careers and jobs opportunities for the young generation. There is no shortage of talent in the country in any domain; we can develop our youth to become a part of the workforce in every sector, industry, and field in all the regions of the world. All we need are the best educational institutions which can train our youth with the required skills and education. The role of COTHM is highly appreciable in the development of skilled youth and also in the promotion tourism, food, aviation, and hospitality sectosr of Pakistan.
Recently, COTHM has celebrated International Friendship Festival in which the students showcased the cuisine, culture, heritage, language, hospitality, and tourism of 16 countries which were Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, USA, UK, Japan, Australia, China, Canada, Switzerland, Spain, Egypt, Turkey, Portugal, Morocco, and Germany. The core objective of the event was to connect human beings around the world in the thread of unity through a set of universal values of life like goodwill, friendship, tolerance, respect, and solidarity. It was a tremendous function graced by the prominent national and international personalities; heartiest gratitude was offered by them regarding the super initiative of COTHM which could boost Pakistan’s relations with the neighboring countries and super powers. Renowned motivational speaker Qasim Ali Shah visited and inaugurated the two-day International Friendship Festival 2022 and acknowledged COTHM’s efforts to create the positive image of Pakistan. On the second day of the festival, Provincial Law Minister Malik Muhammad Ahmad, former MPAs Mujtaba Shuja ur Rehman, and Khaleel Tahir Sandhu with other dignitaries visited the festival and appreciated the students for their wonderful efforts. German Ambassador H.E. Bernhard Schlaghzeck also visited the International Friendship Festival and praised the students and the college administration for coming up with a unique idea of a friendship festival. “COTHM has made a name for itself in the field of hospitality. It is enhancing the friendship between Pakistan and rest of the world.” he said. He witnessed the models of different countries and appreciated students’ efforts. He also tasted the food of different countries and enjoyed their cultural performances.
COTHM Pakistan & Dubai Founder & CEO Ahmad Shafiq expressed his gratitude to the guests and public for their participation in the festival and said that “through tourism and hospitality sector, we can transform our economy and project a positive image of Pakistan across the globe. The talent and potential of our skilled and qualified youth can play an important role in strengthening our national treasury through foreign remittances.”
There is no doubt that COTHM is one of its kind a reputable place and institution that is playing a superb role in strengthening our young generation. Moreover, if each of our kids gets quality education with skills, definitely one day, Pakistan will reach up to extent where it will be self-reliant in the fields of education, IT, medicine, and technology.
We suggest the government to appreciate the institutions like COTHM which are trying their best to showcase the positive image of our country. By promoting our tourism and hospitality industries, Pakistan can generate revenue in trillions that will ultimately make us an independent nation. We encourage our people to depict the positive image of Pakistan through a platform whichever suits them and together we will work hard and make Pakistan a developed, and peaceful country to live in.
The Writer is a Senior Social & Economic Analyst
Can be found at figure786@hotmail.com
