Abstract:
The project aims to design a therapeutic desert resort in Dera Ismail Khan region, in the
southern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan. The region has been in cultural decline for
the past several years. It lacks significant economic growth yet it has geostrategic significance and
the potential to grow in several fields. Tourism is one of them. It has a direct impact on the local
economy. Tourism also gives spontaneous results. The Western route of CPEC (China-Pakistan
Economic Corridor) in the form of a motorway (M14), which connects the South to the North of
Pakistan, brings an opportunity to explore the region of D.1.Khan. Its landscapes range from lush
green plains along the river Indus to dunes on its western side and from the green mountains of
Sheikh Badin national park to the barren mountains of Koh-e-Suleman. Other than landscapes,
the region has religious and archaeological sites, which can attract international tourists. Besides
so many opportunities, tourism in the region is currently negligible. The Government of Pakistan
and the Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa focus on tourism in the northern region. The desert
resort would provide sensory desert experiences to the visitors. It would generate a connection
between man and nature. Qualitative data of the region was collected by interviewing the locals.
The information regarding the national park and the site was gathered by interviewing KP Culture
and Tourism Department. This project aims to design a tourist destination site that would
celebrate the landscapes and provide a starting point for the exploration of the whole region of
D.I.Khan. It would attract local and international tourists, which would eventually bring attention
to the government and other concerned authorities in several fields.
