Tourism in Pakistan and role of PTDC:

Tourism is considered as a major source of economic growth. It can be regarded as a mechanism of

generating employment and revenue. Many countries have invested in tourist sites and infrastructure
within their countries to attract both domestic and international tourists. International tourists account
for 50 percent revenue earned from tourism in most countries. For example United States earned $204.5
billion from tourism in 2016 and 100 million tourists visited France in 2017.Revenue generated from
tourism can be used to develop other sectors such as health, education and transport. It also opens
doors of employment. For example France recorded 1.2 million jobs as a result of tourism leading to
further generation of revenue through taxes. Further tourism strengthened international relations
through international tourism.

Tourism in Pakistan: In 2010 LONELY PLANET termed Pakistan as “tourisms next big thing for more years
than we care to remember but world media headlines always send things off the rails”. In 2018 the
BRITSH BACKPACKER SOCIETY ranked Pakistan as the world’s top adventure travel destination, describing
country as one of the friendliest country on earth, with mountain scenery that is beyond anyone’s
wildest imagination. A popular American business magazine ‘FORBES’ has included Pakistan to the ‘top
ten coolest places’ where tourist must go in 2019.According to world travel and tourism council, in 2016
tourism contributed US$7.6 billion (PKR 793.0) almost 2.7% of total GDP. In 2017 it contributed RS
930.9billion (2.9%) of total GDP. Tourism generated 1,493,000 jobs directly in 2017(2.5% of total
employment). The number of jobs includes employment by hotels, travel agents, airlines and other
passenger transportation services. On the other hand India's tourism industry is worth $209 billion (9.6%
of GDP in 2016). In Turkey tourism accounted for 20% of GDP in 2017. It is expected that by 2028
contribution of tourism to GDP will increase to RS 1727.7 (3.0% of total GDP) and it is expected to create
2,008,000 jobs directly.

Introduction:
Pakistan being rich in culture, history and natural beauty has been attracting a lot of attention
from both local and international tourists as they post mesmerizing scenes on their social media
and discuss about their travel experiences. From the deserts of Baluchistan to mountain ranges
Karakoram, mountaineering and mountain trekking infrastructures that rival those of its
neighboring countries , With eight of the world’s 20 tallest mountains , Pakistan has countless
natural assets bestowed upon it to be the focal point of the world’s trekking , adventure and
mountain tourism. Let’s take a deeper look in to what Pakistan has to offer in tourism
Culture:
Thanks to its historical, geographical and ethnic diversity, Pakistan’s culture is a melting pot of
Indian, Persian, Afghan, Central Asian, South Asian and Western Asian influences. There are
over 15 major ethnic groups in Pakistan, which differ in physical features, historical bloodlines,
customs, dress, food and music.
Figure 0-1 Women of Kailash Celebrate through Dance © Noreen Gulwani/Flickr

Other than ancient ethnic elements, the religious influence of Islam has also strongly shaped
Pakistani culture since it first came to the region in 700 AD. The official number of languages
actively spoken in Pakistan is between 73 and 76. This means that within hours of difference
between the country’s districts, there are languages that other groups in different regions do not
speak.
Diverse culture has exposed Pakistani musicians to many different poetic forms and styles, along
with languages and literature. Qawwali and Ghazal are the nation’s auditory treasures. Building
on that, Pakistani TV shows, like Coke Studio, have amassed millions of fans internationally and
locally, from non-Pakistanis to non-Urdu speakers.
Pakistani truck art is not the only world-famous example of craftsmanship. Passed down through
generations the Pakistani craft, it includes a plethora of styles, materials and aesthetics.
Calligraphy in Arabic is one of the most prominent skills found in many local buildings and sites
and wall hangings, like copper work, paintings and carved wood. Pottery, especially blue pottery,
typical of Sindh and Multan, is loved all over the world for its look.
Figure 0-2Craftwork of Chiniot © Murtaza Syed/WikiCommons

Guests, tourists and visitors, whether domestic or international, are always welcomed with open
arms. Even the poorest laborers go out of their way to help new visitors. Cultural and religious
beliefs encourage Pakistanis to show love and respect towards guests.
History:
Region of Pakistan is a home to the Indus Valley Civilization which is known as an early
civilization of the Old world, larger in land area than both of its contemporaries Ancient Egypt
and Mesopotamia combined. It flourished between 2,500 BCE and 1,900 BCE with the
headquarters of Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro, centered mainly in Central and South Pakistan.
Indo-Islamic architecture emerged during the medieval period, which combined Indian and
Islamic elements. The Mughal Empire ruled between the 16th and 18th centuries, and saw the
rise of Mughal architecture, most prevalent in Lahore.
During the British Colonial period, European styles such as the baroque, gothic and neoclassical
became prevalent. The British, like the Mughals, built elaborate buildings to project their power.
The Indo-Saracenic style, a fusion of British and Indo-Islamic elements also developed. After
Independence, modern architectural styles like the international style became popular.
Figure 0-3 Badshahi Mosque – Lahore© Meeran Nabi/Flickr

There are currently six sites in Pakistan listed under the UNESCO World Heritage:
 Archaeological Ruins at Mohenjo-Daro
 Buddhist Ruins at Takht-i-Bahi and Neighboring City Remains at Sahr-i-Bahlol
 Lahore Fort and Shalimar Gardens (Lahore)
 Historic Monuments of Thatta
 Rohtas Fort

 Taxila
Natural Beauty:
Pakistan has an extraordinary and magnificent variety of landscapes ranging from five of the
highest mountain peaks in the world to some of the largest and unique plateaus in the west and
finally, awe-inspiring flat Indus plains in the east. It is a land in which the entire canvas of its
topography is colored with picturesque valleys, treacherous mountaintops, serene bodies of water
and lush green meadows.K2 is a magnificent snow-covered mountain that reflects the powerful
might of nature in all of its glory, making it marvelous and terrifying at the same time. It is the
second-highest mountain in the entireworld reaching an unfathomable height of 28,253 feet.

(8,612 meters) .
Figure 0-4 K2 Mountain Range in Pakistan

Despite its unconquerable terrain and unpredictable weather patterns, it appeals to climbers from
all over the world. Even though it is located on the Pakistan-China border, climbers prefer to
climb it from Pakistan’s side as it is more conducive to the activity.
The breathtaking Deosai plateau enjoys the status of one of the highest plateaus in the world.
Reaching 13,497 feet above sea level, it is approximately 30 kilometers away from the town of
Skardu (Baltistan region).It constitutes one of the richest biodiversity, in the form of flora and
fauna, in the entire world.There are crystal blue rivers and streams that cleanse the soul of all
stress and anxiety against the backdrop of lime green hills and meadows.
Along the Makran Coast Highway, there is a dazzling sculpture carved out of natural rock and
mud that has been marvelously sculpted out of the skilled hands of nature itself. Due to the
strong winds emanating from the Arabian Sea in the Balochistan region, this masterpiece stands
as tall and proud as a princess of a great kingdom. The name ‘Princess of Hope’ was given to this
magnificent natural sculpture by Angelina Jolie on her visit to Pakistan.

Figure 0-5Princess of Hope © Furqanlw/WikiCommons

Importance/Need of transport, accommodation and services for tourism in Pakistan:
PTL, a subsidiary of PTDC is working as a pioneer tour operating agency and is responsible for
organizing tours/arrangements of transport and accommodation for foreign and domestic tourists
in Pakistan. PTDC is operating transport services between Pak-China border on Karakoram
Highway (KKH) from (Pakistan) to Taxkurgan (China) & between Pakistan and India. Recently
Pakistan has started working on Kartarpur Corridor for connecting the Sikh shrines of Dera Baba
Nanak Sahib (located in Punjab, India) and Gurdwara Sahib Darbar Kartarpur (in Punjab,
Pakistan). This corridor would allow religious devotees from India to visit
the Gurdwara in Kartarpur, 4.7 kilometres from the Pakistan-India border, without a visa. Plans
are also underway to start more international routes between Pakistan and Afghanistan and
between Pakistan and Iran. PTDC’s transport is also hired out to foreign and domestic individual
and group tourists.
Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), Shaheen Air International, Askari Aviation (Pvt.)
Limited are providing transportation faculties to international tourists and they have established
their offices in almost every country. But most of flights are connecting flights due to which
tourists face too much difficulties and most of their time is wasted in flights. So there is a need
for direct flights operations to facilitate the tourists.
BUS SERVICES BETWEEN PAKISTAN, INDIA AND CHINA:
In order to facilitate road travel between Pakistan and India, bus service between Lahore and
Delhi was started on 16th March 1999 under an agreement between the two countries. The
Service was suspended on 31st December 2001. After a gape of over two years, the Service was
restored on 11th July 2003. With the passage of time, two more services between Pakistan and
India (Lahore-Amritsar from 20th January, 2006 and Nankana Sahib-Amritsar from 28th March,
2006) have been started. Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation (PTDC) has been entrusted
by the Government of Pakistan to operate the Pakistani Bus, whereas Delhi Transport
Corporation (DTC) operates the Indian Bus. The bus service between Pakistan and china is in
operation since 1st May 1986 under the bilateral agreement between Pakistan and China. Many
tour operators are operating tours, connecting Central Asia, China and Pakistan via Khunjerab
Pass and vice versa, by utilizing this service.
Transportation with in Pakistan:
By Air: PIA serves 38 domestic airports with scheduled connections, including multiple daily
flights between the major cities of Karachi, Quetta, Multan, Lahore, Faisalabad, Islamabad and
Peshawar. Three private airliners, Shaheen Airways, Aero Asia and Air Blue, also serve Karachi,
Lahore, Faisalabad and Islamabad. PIA has daily flights linking the northern tourist towns of
Gilgit, Skardu and Saidu Sharif with Islamabad and Chitral with Peshawar. All flights to the
northern region are subject to fair weather.
Roads: Pakistan has an extensive network of roads and highways, linking cities and towns with
each other, like the Grand Trunk Road (G.T. Road) with Lahore and Peshawar and the National
Highway links Karachi with the interior of Sindh and Punjab while the Indus Highway links
Peshawar with the Southern Punjab and the RCD Highway links Karachi with Quetta and Taftan
(Pak-Iran border). Karakoram Highway the 8th wonder of the world connects Pakistan with
China (Kashgar) through Islamabad, Abbottabad, Mansehra, Besham, Chilas, Gilgit, Hunza and
Khunjerab Pass (4,733 m above sea level). A landmark has been achieved with the completion of
Lahore-Islamabad Motorway (M2), Faisalabad-Pindi Bhatian Motorway (M3), Islamabad-
Peshawar (M1) Motorway and Karachi Gwadar Costal Highway, which have opened most of the
remote areas of Pakistan for visitors.
Public Transport: Taxis, 3-wheeler auto-rickshaws, vans, buses, and mini buses are used to travel
within the city/town/village limits whereas intercity air-conditioned, non air-conditioned buses,
vans and coaches are available from the main city bus terminals. Taxi cost approximately US$
0.30 per kilometer.
Railways:
Pakistan has over 12,700 kilometers of railway network. The main lines run from Karachi to
Peshawar connecting important cities of Hyderabad, Rohri, Bahawalpur, Multan, Lahore,
Rawalpindi, Taxila and Peshawar. Although there are several daily trains, the faster trains among
them like Shalimar Express, Karakoram Express (Lahore-Karachi) and Rail Car (Lahore-
Rawalpindi) have more comfortable air-conditioned compartments for travelers. Pakistan
Railways allow a 25% concession on all classes to foreign tourists. This concession is allowed on
production of a recommendation certificate issued by any PTDC Tourist Information Centre and
original passport, to the Divisional Superintendent of Pakistan Railways (at Karachi, Quetta,
Lahore, Sukkur, Multan, Peshawar and Rawalpindi or Station Masters of other principal
stations). Foreign students are allowed 50% concession on production of PTDC certificate,
International Student Card and their passport.
Accommodation:
Pakistan offers a wide range of accommodation. Modern, well equipped hotel chains like
Sheraton and Avari (at Karachi & Lahore), Pearl Continental Hotels (at Karachi, Lahore,
Peshawar, Rawalpindi, Bhurban, Muzaffarabad and Abbottabad), Marriott (Karachi &
Islamabad), Holiday Inn (Karachi, Lahore, Multan and Islamabad), Serena Hotels (Islamabad,
Faisalabad, Quetta, Gilgit, Hunza and Saidu Sharif), Pine Park Hotels (Naran, Khannian &
Shogran), Green Hotels (Nathiagali, Abbottabad, Peshawar), Shangrila Resorts & Hotels (Naran,
Chilas, Skardu) offer good services and facilities. A government tax/duty up to 17.5% is added to
the rent at most places. There are official Dak Bungalows and Rest Houses at most of the stations
and valleys, as well. These are usually maintained by the Provincial Forest Department, Public
Works Department (PWD) or by the local administration.
PTDC Motels &Youth Hostels:
Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation (PTDC) operates 02 hotels and 29 motels located
throughout Pakistan. Pakistan Youth Hostels Association (PYHA) founded in 1951, also runs a
chain of 6 Youth Hostels all over Pakistan. Accommodation in these Youth Hostels is available to
tourists.
Food:
Having inherited the culinary traditions of the Moghuls, the Turks, the Central Asians and the
Iranians, eating out in Pakistan is a rich experience. Most local restaurants serve authentic
Pakistani dishes straight from the oven, with the sights and sounds of a bazaar in the background.
Meat, fish and vegetable dishes are seasoned with spices. Particularly palatable are the grills and
barbecues; Seekh-Kabab (minced meat grilled on a skewer), Shami-Kabab (minced meat), Tikka
(barbecued mutton, beef or chicken) and Saji (barbecued leg of lamb). Pakistani mutton and
chicken curries and the oriental rice dish called, Pullao, are also popular with natives and
foreigners alike.
Visa:
All foreigners coming in Pakistan needs a valid passport. Tourists from Iceland, Maldives, Hong
kong, Nepal and Zambia do not need visa for visiting Pakistan. Pakistan Missions abroad are
authorized to grant visit / tourist visa for three months validity and stay with double entry to
foreigners of List-A consisting of 175 countries. Foreign nationals can only apply for Pakistan
visa from their country of origin OR from the place of legal permanent residence. Request for
visas of a THIRD COUNTRY origin will be decided only by the Ambassador / High
Commissioner / Head of Mission / Consulate. For Northern Areas, the Deputy Commissioners
Gilgit & Skardu have been authorized to allow extension in visa for three months and one re-
entry to the tourists in Northern Areas, charging visa fee as per policy. Recently Pakistan has
introduced new visa policy which would permit nationals of at least 48 countries to come in
Pakistan on visa on arrival. A tourist may import a motor vehicle without duty for period of 3
months against an undertaking before the Customs Officer at entry point that he/she will not
transfer the ownership of the vehicle during his/her stay in Pakistan.
Competition of PTDC with private sector:
Most of the tourism-related activities in Pakistan are happening on account of local
tourism. There has been a steady increase in local tourism with 38.3 million local tourists
reported by the Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation in the last year. But the
tourism industry has even failed to cope with the influx of these local tourists. Consider
going to Murree on a public holiday to enjoy the snow. You will definitely be stuck
somewhere on your way. If by chance you are able to reach the hill station, it will be an
uphill task to get yourself a reasonable room for the night with basic amenities such as
warm water, good food and heating.
In spite of the very evident importance of the Tourism Sector for Pakistan, the sector has not
obtained its due attention from either the Federal or Provincial Governments. Regardless of
whether the authority comes under the provinces or the centre, the institution has struggled to
meet its stated aim to promote and develop tourism in the country by marketing tourist products
at home and abroad and developing infrastructure and quality services for both foreign and
domestic tourism purposes. Many of the buildings remain empty, ghostly structures, instead of
being the lively, welcoming places they should be. The failure is especially apparent with the
latest announcement. Surely, there are steps to be considered before taking such an extreme
measure, which will also impact the employment of several daily-wage workers, and
inconvenience many other full-time employees.
Lack of Proper Marketing and Promotion:
Currently Pakistan is ranked at 124, according to the World Economic Forum Tourism and
Competitive Ranking. We need to up our game. The ‘Amazing Pakistan’ and ‘Emerging
Pakistan’ campaigns are currently running all over the world to promote tourism including
covering buses in several major world cities with beautiful pictures of Pakistan's tourist attraction
have helped raise the country’s profile. but it needs to be supplemented through various ‘offers’,
‘deals’ and ‘promotions’. Increased investments in roads, airports and other infrastructure have
helped ease travel. Pakistan government has announced its decision to provide 30 day tourist visa
on arrival for visitors from 24 countries on three continents. Pakistan must not lose the
opportunity to make its mark on global tourism. We have already lost precious time. Let us not
wait anymore and open our doors to show the world really how ‘Amazing Pakistan’ is.
In spite of being blessed with very valuable tourist attractions, Pakistan has not been successful
in developing itself into a popular tourist destination in the world. One of the key reasons for this
has been the inability to take a structured approach for marketing and promotion; a failure in the
art of presentation of our tourism to the world. There have been very insignificant activities
carried out in this regard on local and/or international media. During the past six decades,
Pakistan has not been successful in developing a brand of its Tourism attractions. Pakistan has
very rich natural, historic, archeological, cultural assets; which can very easily and quickly create
a brand for Pakistan Tourism.
Lack of Private Sector Investment in the Tourism Sector:
Development of tourism infrastructure requires large funds; the provision of which is difficult
for the Government. One practical option to deal with this issue is to mobilize the private sector
funds into large development projects of public good. For this to happen, a regulatory framework
is required, which can define the roles and responsibilities of the two partners from public and
private sectors. Presently, there is no such policy to attract private sector investment in tourism.
PTDC mulls strategy to promote private sector investment in tourism:
Under its future plan of PTDC, the public sector investment in the development of infrastructure
facilities will be made part of overall national development effort. While the ongoing public
sector projects will be completed, the development requirements for new projects will be met
from privatization of existing motels and from credit budget. The greater financial autonomy will
be given to the public sector tourism agencies. A steady increase in domestic tourism with 38.3
million local tourists reported by the PTDC.The tourism industry is expected to grow worldwide
in the coming years with developing Countries taking the lead in both aspects of where the
tourists come from and where they are going to.
With the purpose of improving the performance of PTDC Motels competitiveness through
customer satisfaction, Hotel staff training solutions need to be implemented continuously. For
example, PTDC should create favorable conditions for their staff to update their knowledge
regularly, make sense of responsibility for their work, and improve the processing skills and
efficiency. Besides, PTDC should pay particular attention to in front employees to equip them
with knowledge about customer service skills, practice patience, confidence to solve problems of
customer, calm and cheerful attitude with customers even when facing work pressure. Efforts
shall be taken to ensure quality services. Such efforts would add in to customers‟ satisfaction on
one hand and build image of the hotel line on the other.
Furthermore, hotels of Pakistan ought to give careful consideration to in front representatives to
furnish them with learning about client administration aptitudes, rehearse persistence, certainty
to take care of issues of client, quiet and lively disposition with clients notwithstanding when
confronting them. Improvement of check-in (registration process) and cost and accommodation
is mandatory for efficient Hotel. In hotel craft operation dependably exists high risks that are
hard to anticipate. Hotels of Pakistan ought to likewise pay consideration on the association
between the hotel accommodation and other sort of transportation at the destination, for example,
auto transportations, and so on to make the most ideal conditions for its travelers. The
transportation office requires that hotel crafts take after their agreement of carriage, which is the
legitimate understanding amongst travelers and the carrier, however they don't let them know
what to put in it. Carriers ought to deliberately incorporate their client responsibilities in the
agreement, which cover how travelers will be dealt with if there's a deferral or an administration
intrusion.
What ptdc should do further?
Abdul Ghafoor, the managing director of PTDC, stated that Pakistan has been attracting a large
number of foreign tourists from all over the world. Mountains, white water sports and hiking
areas in Pakistan are ideal for adventure tourists and valleys, deserts or beaches for nature lovers.
Buddhist heritage sites of Gandhara, Sikh sacred shrines, Hindu holy temples, and Indus valley
civilization sites are best-suited for pilgrims, scholars and students, he added. He categorized the
tourism sector into different types, based on religion, adventure, sports and health tourism.
The improved law and order situation in the country has led to positive changes including a
healthy influx of international visitors. Abdul Ghafoor said that PTDC would introduce tourist
visa policy for groups and increase frequency of flights. The corporation would also assist in
increasing interaction between public and private sector tourism organizations and encouraging
participation in tourism exhibitions and conferences.
A recent report published in the English newspaper Telegraph has painted quite a promising
picture regarding Pakistan’s prospects of becoming a global tourism player. The report further
appreciates that now, the residents of the UK, Turkey, China, Malaysia, and UAE can benefit
from a new online e-visa system while most restrictions on mobility within the country have
been removed. Jane Westwood of Wild frontiers, one of the UK tour operators to Pakistan said
that bookings for Pakistan tours have risen drastically in the past two or three years. In 2015,
Pakistan received 563,000 overseas arrivals while in 2016, the figure rose to 965,000. The
number of tourists coming to Pakistan kept growing, making it 1.6 million in 2017 and 1.9
million in 2018.
The report further mentioned that both Portugal and France relaxed their travel advice on
Pakistan last year. It also underlined that the arrival of British Airways in the country is also a
good start. It termed Pakistan’s potential for growth in tourism as ‘almost limitless’.
PTDC has introduced various projects to ensure that Pakistan reaches the mark of being one of
the most visited country due to its scenic beauty and cultural heritage. Pakistan holds one of the
world’s largest Sikh gatherings every year due to their religious festivities. Sikhs from all over
the world visit Pakistan in order to attend those festivals and in order to facilitate them; PTDC
has resorted to construct various resorts that cater to their specific needs. This in turn, will attract
more audience to visit Pakistan apart from their religious festivities, and these resorts will
provide them with the incentive to visit more places.
Situated in the midst of the famous Salt Range in Punjab, the lake in KallarKahar is known to be
heaven for naturalists, historians and geologist. The lake is salty lake that has captured the
interest of many from all over. In order to recapture the interest that seems to be fading, steps are
being taken in order to accommodate more tourists over the period of time and meeting their
needs. The main attraction of this area is the Hindu Temple, Shrine of Saidan Shah and the lake
itself. With the development of this area and the accommodation provided that caters to a larger
audience than before, Lake at KallarKahar will prove be an ideal tourist attraction to visit in
Punjab.
Other various projects include construction of resorts at Darwar Fort Cholistan, Lahore tourist
bus service and construction of resorts in Naltar Valley, Mansehra, Haripur and Tarbela. Each of
these project aims to provide the facilities the people visiting are looking for; best
accommodation, ease of transport; to make their visit worthwhile and ultimately increase tourism
in Pakistan. These developmental projects work not only to increase local tourism but also to
attract tourists from all over the world.
Abdul Ghafoor further mentioned that there were several regional sporting events held every
year in different parts of the country, adding that these sporting events were center of attraction
for the tourists from different parts of the world and provide them maximum level of joy and
happiness. The managing director expressed that events like Pakistan super league (PSL) would
strengthen tourism industry. Similarly there are other sports like golf that can attract tourists as
there were around 45 golf clubs of world standard in the country.

Pakistan needs to brand its tourism at global level. Each country brands itself extensively
to the world. For India, it is ‘Incredible India’ and the Taj Mahal as its face, and for
Malaysia, it is ‘Malaysia Truly Asia’. Why can’t we have our beautiful face shown to the
world? After all we have the world’s most amazing mountains, one of the world’s most
beautiful capitals, one of the world’s most beautiful mosques, the birth place of oldest
civilisations and one of the warmest and hospitable people of the world. It is a shame that
countries with which we have such amazing relations such as Turkey and China know
more about our neighbouring country thanks to their entertainment industry. The
Pakistani entertainment industry needs to seriously think global and help build the soft
image of Pakistan.

Finally, for every tourist-friendly country means of transportation is important, starting

from direct air routes, good airports and stopovers to intercity as well as intra-city
connectivity. One cannot imagine life in London without its ‘underground’ or life in
Istanbul without its tram and metro. They have become part and parcel of the tourism
sector. Large numbers of people cannot be transported on taxis and buses alone. We need
newer modes of mass transit. The Orange Line Train in Lahore is a step in the right
direction. It is hoped that other cities will also try to bring innovation to ease massive
congestion on the roads.
References

https://whc.unesco.org/en/statesparties/pk
https://theculturetrip.com/asia/pakistan/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pakistani_architecture