Nehlistan A Therapeutic Desert Resort

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.