In Pakistan tourism is gaining traction as soon as law and order situation is getting better. And the government of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) is keen on exploiting the economic dividends that tourism can offer to Pakistan. This view serves the backdrop to the new visa policy Imran Khan announced on March 14th. It is encouraging to see that the incumbent government is trying to explore untapped sectors that can fetch a significant amount of money to the national exchequer. For the PTI government, the easiest way to make money and fill up the country’s kitty is to promote tourism. It is right for Pakistan holds sites that can attract all kinds of tourists to visit them.
However, it is essential for the PTI government to bear in mind the fact that relaxing its visa policy is just the first step to make the tourism sector one of the most thriving industries of the national economy. There are many more issues to deal with and many more step to take to make Pakistan one of the top tourist destinations. Every country has its attractions for tourists. Dubai is known for its excellent shopping malls and skyscrapers today. Morocco attracts tourists for its exquisite architecture. While the beaches of Malaysia and Indonesia catch the sight and attention of tourists from all over the world. All these countries, especially Dubai, rely on tourism to run their economy smoothly.
Pakistan is fortunate in the sense that it is blessed with all kinds of attractions for tourists. Given that the government has taken the first step to boost tourism in the country, it now needs to improve infrastructure as well. And with a little amount of spending in different cities and regions of the country on infrastructure, the government can attract visitors – both domestic and foreign ones in large numbers.
At the same time, Pakistan needs to up its marketing game. The country needs to engage in a marketing strategy to change people’s perception of Pakistan. It is unfortunate to see that the state has not invested much in advertisements and campaigns that can catch the sight of people abroad to choose Pakistan to satisfy their wandering lust. In a nutshell, what the government needs to do is to design its tourism campaign that is novel, authentic and appealing to people abroad so that its reputation as a tourism destination can grow. Nevertheless, the government’s initiative is yet praiseworthy, and it is hoped that the PTI government will keep up its promise of converting Pakistan into the most sought after place to visit for international tourists.