Tourism seems to be returning to Pakistan with an improvement in the security situation. The tourism department (PTDC) has recorded an increase of 40% in tourist traffic in the country.

Where Nepal has its temples we have the Lahore Fort, and where Maldives has its beaches we have gems like Mubarak Village. There is a lot we have to offer, but is Pakistan actually ready for this influx?

It’s all about the details when it comes to tourism and our country seems to be missing the mark. For instance, be it Taiwan or Tajikistan, the sidewalk is a place where people walk – but in Lahore the sidewalk is a place where people park their cars.

What we need to do is, to look into how we can make Pakistan tourism ready – perhaps we could even be on our way to becoming a hot tourist destination if we do things right.

The small details

To boost the current traffic even further, there needs to be a plan that would revamp our cities to make them tourist ready.

Readily available maps for different cities, better infrastructure, more emphasis on tourist attractions, etc, are some of the things that the government needs to look at. A museum in London will take a visitor’s breath away, while the one in Lahore will make them wish they could leave – this is something we need to fix. Give the people what they want – give them the touristy things that satisfy their traveller’s thirst.

Pakistan has so much going for it - the Subcontinent has always been famous for its spices and the fresh produce that the land is able to give, this culinary world needs to be opened for tourists (both domestic and foreign). This will further foster tourist activity in the country and make Pakistan an attractive place to visit for most.

These rather small details go a long way in ensuring a sustainable tourism sector. For instance, Zameen.com stats show an increased interest in property up North. More people than ever before are looking for summer homes and getaways – some of them even for the sake of promoting tourism or profiting from it. However, unless this growth is sustainable, it helps no one. The increased tourist activity will ensure that other sectors such as Real Estate are also revived.

Tourism direct

Using tech to our advantage is a great idea if we’re looking to boost tourism in the country. Pakistan has only recently started to make headways in its IT sector and is using this to its advantage. The provision of IT by different sectors is improving the overall economy and is putting Pakistan back on the map. Websites like TripAdvisor, Booking.com, Agoda and so on are becoming more and more popular for a reason. However, these are not all-encompassing as different cities have their own apps while there should be one that could be developed by the tourism ministry.

Pakistan too needs its own apps. This can be significantly important for tourists visiting far off areas of northern and northwestern mountain ranges of Hindu Kush, Himalaya and Karakoram Range that have only recently seen a lot of traffic. Most local and foreign tourists who come here don’t know how to book a trip. A directory would help them arrange one on their own and also to get in touch with the various travel agencies.

From health to security

Smaller health units can also be established in these areas for the tourists. These are cost effective to establish and extremely easy to monitor as well. They are much needed because with the rise in tourism the revenues earned have to go to the overall infrastructural development and with places like Hunza largely ill-equipped with these, it’s about time the revenues go here.

It is important to note that previously, the tourism sector of Pakistan was suffering because of the dire security situation, and now with it reviving, it is about time we allocate even greater resources to correct this. A strict security system will ensure that these tourists are able to explore the cities very thoroughly and acquaint themselves with the diverse culture of each province and district. This is important for tourism because Pakistan has the diversity, both culturally and scenically that the tourists yearn for. It is only a matter of security that the tourists will start pouring in the country and explore the diverseness of the regions.

Pakistanis can themselves step up to improve the current situation of tourism, and by being more socially receptive to the people visiting these areas, especially the foreign tourists. This has been a characteristic that most foreign tourists have associated with the locals of Pakistan, and if we keep at it, the tourism sector is bound to grow.

Most importantly, we need to realise the environmental degradation and pollution that come with hundreds of people visiting an area. The local governments can institute a disposal system so that garbage doesn’t pile up anywhere and cause a hazard to the environment.

This is a multi-faceted approach to revitalising growth in the tourism sector of Pakistan, and following these steps would ensure sustainability and longevity of this.