ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s tourism sector moved further towards a technology-driven future with the launch of GOPKZ, an artificial intelligence-powered digital tourism ecosystem, at a ceremony held at a local hotel in Islamabad.
Sardar Yasir Ilyas Khan, Advisor and National Coordinator to the Prime Minister on Tourism, attended the launch as chief guest. The event brought together representatives of the tourism industry, the diplomatic community and the private sector.
The ceremony highlighted Pakistan’s vast tourism potential and the growing need to link the sector with technology, investment and global markets.
Speaking on the occasion, Sardar Yasir Ilyas Khan emphasised the importance of harnessing Pakistan’s tourism potential and creating an environment where innovation, investment and private enterprise could contribute meaningfully to the growth of the sector.
He has been advocating greater private-sector participation, investment and modern infrastructure to help transform Pakistan’s tourism potential into a sustainable economic opportunity. His participation in the launch underlined the growing link between national tourism leadership and technology-led private-sector initiatives aimed at making Pakistan more accessible and competitive for international travellers.
GOPKZ brings accommodation, tours, experiences, transportation and intelligent trip planning into a single digital ecosystem. Its AI-powered travel companion, Nigehban, allows 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 Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation Aftab ur Rehman Rana, diplomats, tourism representatives and members of the corporate community.
Pakistan has a wide range of tourism assets, including the high mountains of Gilgit-Baltistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, historic cities, cultural heritage and coastal destinations. However, 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. He added 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 broader efforts to position the country as a modern, competitive and technology-enabled global tourism destination.
