Why couldn't Pakistan become touristic like Morocco or Tunisia?

[Wave your flag]

Why couldn't Pakistan become a tourist destination compared to other Muslim countries such as Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt, Malaysia etc?

Recently due to terrorism no sane westerner would want to visit Pakistan. But even before 2001 when Pakistan was reasonably 'safe', it has never been a country for tourists but it's a very beautiful country.

 

[czar]

Same reason why Iran, Bangaldesh arent popular destinations among Westerners and probably never will.

AFAIk, a lot of Westerners flock to these North African Countries for it's laid-back coastal city life which are buzzing with Party Culture where tourists like to enjoy the sun, drinks and relax. Which city / destination in Pakistan can offer the same to Western Tourists? Karachi?

Cities like Casablanca and Tunis have been the preferred thriving tourist destinations for some decades now. It's not possible to suddenly develop a New destination, westernize it and then expect tourists to flock. Another factor would be the proximity of North African cities to Europe.

 

[Hitman]

Maybe because of the image the West has painted about the country over the years. Anyways, I once asked my father the question whether tourists visit Pakistan or not, and he answered in the affirmative. He said that the country has always attracted tourists, although maybe not as much as before because of the ongoing problems lately.

 

[proud_pakistani]

There was a time possibly between the 60s and late 70s people would travel to Pakistan.

I have articles by Nadeem Paracha and others about there being a hippie trail and people would travel from the west for that. Besides that the natural beauty was an attraction for places like Swat and Chitral.

Even urban cities like Karachi were happening and had bars and clubs with a vibrant music scene.

It all at the end of the day stems down to the radicalization post General Zia's era which has been constantly growing and as a result a deteriorating security situation.

Pakistan has everything possible - all types of natural landscapes - beautiful greenery, mountains, beaches in Karachi, desert in Cholistan, peaks like K2. Amazing restaurants, Lahore has a lot of cultural places people can visit. There are places like Mohenjadaro and Harappa which is a UNESCO heritage site. Khewra salt mines which is known as one of the natural wonders of the world. Pakistan could have been a major tourist hub in Asia, something like what Turkey has become in the last decade or so. Again its the security and poor marketing from Pakistan in general. Even places like Indonesia have terror threats but they have still managed to keep Bali a major tourism destination.

Imran Khan is desperately trying hard to improve tourism in KPK which is a good sign but will take a long time before it can be a major hub. I wish I could have lived in the 70s in Pakistan. It seems like it was a really fun place.

 

[JaDed]

Hear its still a great destination for mountain climbers,also its about image,the media keeps talking trash about India as well,but because word of mouth ,also expectations and coz many Indians abroad the tourism remains high,similarly once Pak-rebranding is finished and CPEC established probably will do well for Pakistan tourism as well.

The HONY founder did a good job to highlight positive side of Pakistan imo,but its a process and has to keep happening.

 

[ahmedwaqas92]

The people of Pakistan (who somehow believe that they are the flagbearers of Islam) are the biggest enemy of themselves, even 90% of my family; (heck who am I kidding it's more like 99%) are flocked with folks who believe that Pakistan should model itself on the best principles of Islam....... I'd leave it at that.

Most of these same folks think Saudi Arabia is some heavenly place where there is no crime, waheshi (immorality) and everyone is welcomed, lol what a freaking Joke. I live in the far east at the moment and the amount of tolerance I've seen from these folks (Muslims too btw) is unbelievable - they have no problems with people coming to their country and living as how they want (as long as they don't cause trouble for the locals) which is probably why they have succeeded in developing their countries in less than half the time Pakistan have and are LIGHT YEARS !!! YES LIGHT YEARS ahead of us.......

The day Pakistan lets its own people have an actual choice on how someone wants to lead their life is the day the foreigners would see us in a different light. Until then keep rejoicing in Malala Yousufzai winning the Nobel Peace prize and some unknown Karachite winning a GOD DAMN Oscar, as for the average Pakistan (things would never change).......

Good Day

 

[Arham_PakFan]

The people of Pakistan (who somehow believe that they are the flagbearers of Islam) are the biggest enemy of themselves, even 90% of my family; (heck who am I kidding it's more like 99%) are flocked with folks who believe that Pakistan should model itself on the best principles of Islam....... I'd leave it at that.

Most of these same folks think Saudi Arabia is some heavenly place where there is no crime, waheshi (immorality) and everyone is welcomed, lol what a freaking Joke. I live in the far east at the moment and the amount of tolerance I've seen from these folks (Muslims too btw) is unbelievable - they have no problems with people coming to their country and living as how they want (as long as they don't cause trouble for the locals) which is probably why they have succeeded in developing their countries in less than half the time Pakistan have and are LIGHT YEARS !!! YES LIGHT YEARS ahead of us.......

The day Pakistan lets its own people have an actual choice on how someone wants to lead their life is the day the foreigners would see us in a different light. Until then keep rejoicing in Malala Yousufzai winning the Nobel Peace prize and some unknown Karachite winning a GOD DAMN Oscar, as for the average Pakistan (things would never change).......

Good Day

This,a hundred times over.

Can't agree any more.

Pakistan is a beautiful place,with big cities,mountainous regions,deserts,beaches and a generally good climate than the UAE and most Middle-eastern countries.Unfortunately most of our awaam and the various governments are huge barriers for tourism

 

[Varun]

The alcohol ban is one of the bigger impediments for tourism IMO. Nobody wants to visit a place where there's no party going on.

 

[CricketCartoons]

The alcohol ban is one of the bigger impediments for tourism IMO. Nobody wants to visit a place where there's no party going on.

Most profound thought which many have overlooked. Who would in their right mind visit swat or mohenjo daro if they can't find enough alcohol to help them sink in the natural beauty and ancient heritage?

 

[enkidu_]

There's no need for it to be a country for Western tourists, and I hope that it'll never will. I'd prefer regional tourism based on shared heritage, which goes deeper than parties or children prostitution like in Morocco (lot of places of historical and spiritual interest for Hindus, Sikhs and Buddhists, and they should bank on that.)

Chinese tend to be "good tourists" (I have the impression that desis not so much - perhaps old Brahmanical fear of travel, as compared to the traditional Chinese mandarin's "merchant expansionism" ? -, even "internal tourism" is quite rare), and with their ever-increasing middle class, they will bring a lot of tourism-related jobs to the Silk road countries in the future, perhaps when Pak will have more security they could appeal to such market too.

 

[Donal Cozzie]

The alcohol ban is one of the bigger impediments for tourism IMO. Nobody wants to visit a place where there's no party going on.

If I'm not mistaken you actually can buy alcohol in Pakistan easily, you just need to have some ID card which verifies you're not Muslim. Least I was told this here before.

There's no need for it to be a country for Western tourists, and I hope that it'll never will. I'd prefer regional tourism based on shared heritage, which goes deeper than parties or children prostitution like in Morocco (lot of places of historical and spiritual interest for Hindus, Sikhs and Buddhists, and they should bank on that.)

Chinese tend to be "good tourists" (I have the impression that desis not so much - perhaps old Brahmanical fear of travel, as compared to the traditional Chinese mandarin's "merchant expansionism" ? -, even "internal tourism" is quite rare), and with their ever-increasing middle class, they will bring a lot of tourism-related jobs to the Silk road countries in the future, perhaps when Pak will have more security they could appeal to such market too.

If I'm not wrong Chinese are generally regarded as the worst tourists?? Read lots of reports of them scrawling on historical objects and so on. Obviously a minority but still they have a bit of a bad rep if im not mistaken.

 

[enkidu_]

If I'm not wrong Chinese are generally regarded as the worst tourists?? Read lots of reports of them scrawling on historical objects and so on. Obviously a minority but still they have a bit of a bad rep if im not mistaken.

I meant "good tourists" in the sense that their middle class has a sense of travelling around the world and spending a lot of money.

Never heard about the bad reputation though.

 

[Pakistanian]

Cause we ain't as chill as them, they know how to have a good time. We need a huge cultural overhaul if we want to be a tourist destination.

 

[ipl_fan]

Priorities.

They chose the path they are in and Pakistan chose to be the flag bearer of a a very contrived and twisted interpretation of Islam. Before someone comes forward and says not all Pakistanis are like that, yes, all Pakistanis are not like that but the ideology of the people who have the upper hand is like that which influences the who country.

 

[Syed1]

Allow openly selling of alcohol like it was in the 60s and 70s and be a little more open and you would see Westerners flocking here. No white man wants to fly half-way around the world to talk about deen.

I've visited Malaysia, they are better Muslims than us. Every single Muslim woman does hijab there (not out of compulsion, but choice). Mosques are full during the five prayers. Yet on the other hand alcohol is openly available. Clubs and bars are at every street corner. That is the reason that Malaysia is a sought after tourist destination. The more open and welcoming a country is the more people will want to visit it.


Those who want to drink/party will do so regardless so what is the point of banning these things?

 

[Syed1]

Priorities.

They chose the path they are in and Pakistan chose to be the flag bearer of a a very contrived and twisted interpretation of Islam. Before someone comes forward and says not all Pakistanis are like that, yes, all Pakistanis are not like that but the ideology of the people who have the upper hand is like that which influences the who country.

If you think Pakistan follows a contrived and twisted interpretation of Islam then you my friend have not visited/seen places like Saudi, Iran etc etc etc. Pakistanis are some of the most moderate Muslims out there. I would rank us alongside Turkey, Malaysia, Indonesia and Morocco. Most Pakistanis are just cultural Muslims, meaning they follow Islam not because of any great love for the religion, but because that has been the way of life for generations. I'm not talking about the 10-15% Mullah types. I'm talking about the overwhelming majority of Pakistanis.

Obviously our laws are based on Shariah and very strict interpretation of it, which needs to change.

 

[DW44]

If you think Pakistan follows a contrived and twisted interpretation of Islam then you my friend have not visited/seen places like Saudi, Iran etc etc etc. Pakistanis are some of the most moderate Muslims out there. I would rank us alongside Turkey, Malaysia, Indonesia and Morocco. Most Pakistanis are just cultural Muslims, meaning they follow Islam not because of any great love for the religion, but because that has been the way of life for generations. I'm not talking about the 10-15% Mullah types. I'm talking about the overwhelming majority of Pakistanis.

I don't know about Karachi but none of that is even on the same planet as the truth as far as the rest of Pakistan is concerned. Punjab and KPK, that account for 2/3rds of Pakistanis, are the exact opposite (and then some) of what you're describing. Overwhelming majority of Pakistanis speak through their actions (not to mention their actual words) and said actions (and words) don't support that analysis.

 

[Cpt. Rishwat]

Pakistan is what Pakistani people make it. Whether that suits us sitting outside the country is probably a no. It's the age of the global village, they can see what's going on in the rest of the world, if they want to mimic it there's nothing to stop them. The electoral process is there like for every other democratic nation. If enough people want it, the political parties will jump in line.

 

[Wave your flag]

There's no need for it to be a country for Western tourists, and I hope that it'll never will. I'd prefer regional tourism based on shared heritage, which goes deeper than parties or children prostitution like in Morocco (lot of places of historical and spiritual interest for Hindus, Sikhs and Buddhists, and they should bank on that.)

Chinese tend to be "good tourists" (I have the impression that desis not so much - perhaps old Brahmanical fear of travel, as compared to the traditional Chinese mandarin's "merchant expansionism" ? -, even "internal tourism" is quite rare), and with their ever-increasing middle class, they will bring a lot of tourism-related jobs to the Silk road countries in the future, perhaps when Pak will have more security they could appeal to such market too.

Something similar to Malaysia wouldn't be bad and it's good for the economy.

 

[ShadabFakhar]

Because it isn't close to Europe where most of the tourists of those countries come from. I think the comparison should be India, Indonesia and Thailand

 

[Adil_94]

all these countries have specific areas that are designated for tourism. In Indonesia and Malaysia u have people who are religious too but there are nightclubs and nightlife in Kuala Lumpur and Bali for westerners if a nightclub or anything like that opened in Pak openly then there would be a lot of protests. Tunisia and Morocoo are some of the more liberal middle eastern country so tourists from the west or china and japan will feel more at ease there. Turkey for a long time was very secular but even under Erdogan who is more conservative the beaches bars and resorts wont be shut down as it would hurt their economy. Pak has never really marketed itself as a tourist destination either.



Pak has the stigma of being this over populated poor dirty country that is most well known internationally for extremism any time u see Pak on the intl news its because a bomb blast happened or a shooting by extremists.
Pakistan does have some beautiful scenery and could be a real tourist attraction but it has the perception of being a volatile and unsafe country like a lot of third world countries are seen as.

the combo of being seen as dirty poor unhygienic and a being seen as a pit of extremism means Pakistan isnt an attractive proposition for a lot of westerners.
same reason why Iran is isnt seen as attractive for westerners despite having a civilisational history going back thousands of years and great scenery too.

places like Dubai which have conservative laws still attract westerners because they are very clean low population low crime. same standard of living as in the west plus nice weather and its marketed as this great tourist destination endorsed by footballers n other celebs and they also let westerners have a lot more leeway than natives in drinking n partying as long as its in designated areas.

 

[faraz39]

Few factors that hinder Pakistan as a tourist destination:

1. accessibility to Europe is not as short as North Africa and thus tickets are more expensive. Regional tourism could work but I believe the OP was specifically referring to Western tourists
2. image as a violent prone country which is not safe
3. lack of branding. Taj Mahal and Bollywood is branded to India, Burj Khalifa to UAE, Pyramids to Egypt, historic town centres to Morroco, etc.

Factors helping Pakistan:
1. if the violence can be taken out, people are very friendly and moderate to outsiders (even in small villages). This can be seen in the number of western tourists (even females) who write about this after visiting the country. Friend of a friend did a bike tour through SE Asia, Pakistan, Iran, etc. and said Pakistanis were by far the friendliest out of all the countries he visited.
2. Untouched green areas in the north.

 

[Tommo]

Pakistan is more of an adventurous place than a party destination. Rightly so. Don't need that type of filth to corrupt the masses.. Imagine all the problems relating to alcohol taking afoot in Pakistan... Stick to the adventure tag and strive towards turning potential sites into fully fledged tourist areas. As folks rightly pointed out Pakistan has an amazing lineup of places to offer, some of the most breathtaking picture-perfect sceneries... But be careful; 'western tourists' tend to be spies, not all but a considerable amount.

 

[Enigma_]

Whether people like it or not, most modern day tourism is not based on sight seeing. Most of it comes from night culture and the ability to well do 'wild things' in uncommon places. I am not saying that natural beauty of the country can't be exploited even more because let's be honest Pakistan is absolutely gorgeous. But if we're talking about mass influx of tourism then until the night life of Pakistan is allowed to flourish nothing will happen. I also feel as if Pakistan doesn't do enough to influence foreign media. We pretty much ignore this section. The beauty of Pakistan needs to be projected a lot more... A LOT MORE.

 

[CricketCartoons]

This thread could do well with some pics of places that a tourist would love to visit.

 

[Tommo]

Pakistan is truly an adventure spot; people don't know what they're missing out on. A few days ago I showed my gf (Latina) and she was utterly shocked about how beautiful and powerful the country is!

 

[Tommo]

There's no need for it to be a country for Western tourists, and I hope that it'll never will. I'd prefer regional tourism based on shared heritage, which goes deeper than parties or children prostitution like in Morocco (lot of places of historical and spiritual interest for Hindus, Sikhs and Buddhists, and they should bank on that.)

Chinese tend to be "good tourists" (I have the impression that desis not so much - perhaps old Brahmanical fear of travel, as compared to the traditional Chinese mandarin's "merchant expansionism" ? -, even "internal tourism" is quite rare), and with their ever-increasing middle class, they will bring a lot of tourism-related jobs to the Silk road countries in the future, perhaps when Pak will have more security they could appeal to such market too.

Agreed. Pakistan doesn't necessarily have to be a hub for western tourists.. and your points about Morrocco are spot on; It's tourism is built on sex for cash, wild parties and alcohol.

 

[CricketCartoons]

Agreed. Pakistan doesn't necessarily have to be a hub for western tourists.. and your points about Morrocco are spot on; It's tourism is built on sex for cash, wild parties and alcohol.

Agreed. No need to become like others. There are huge markets for halal tourism. Indians would have thronged to Pakistan if relations were friendly.

 

[Tommo]

Agreed. No need to become like others. There are huge markets for halal tourism. Indians would have thronged to Pakistan if relations were friendly.

So to will the rest of the world; if the government of Pakistan can be competent for once. Almost nobody (outside of Pakistan) has an idea about what the country has to offer in terms of it's tourist and heritage spots. I blame the people at the helm, along with the citizens of Pakistan for not doing enough in this regard.. Work for free to promote your country across the Internet and beyond! God-speed!

 

[faraz39]

I spend large amounts of money each year on travel with family (around ~$10K) including destinations such as Costa Rica, Spain, Turkey, Kenya, Mexico, Peru, etc. I keep thinking about Northern Pakistan but what holds me back along with many others I assume:

1. lack of proper transportation to Northern Areas (Gilgit, Baltistan, Skardu) which includes flights, bus services, and local transportation. There is only one flight per day from Islamabad to Skardu and is often delayed for hours.
2. lack of info from gov't or tourist sources (compared to other destinations). No detailed discussions on tourist forums, etc.
3. I do have concerns about safety but it's not a dealbreaker

The first step should be to encourage tourism from within Pakistan and those of Pakistan heritage overseas (since these people are easier to attract). Once a foundation is built and services develop, then target the non Pakistani foreigners.

 

[maverick85]

Pakistan including other south asian countries are 'too dirty' for western tourism. its in the desi genetics to be more rough around the edges regarding mannerisms and hygiene compared to the nearest western neighbour, iran for example.

 

[Donal Cozzie]

Allow openly selling of alcohol like it was in the 60s and 70s and be a little more open and you would see Westerners flocking here. No white man wants to fly half-way around the world to talk about deen.

I've visited Malaysia, they are better Muslims than us. Every single Muslim woman does hijab there (not out of compulsion, but choice). Mosques are full during the five prayers. Yet on the other hand alcohol is openly available. Clubs and bars are at every street corner. That is the reason that Malaysia is a sought after tourist destination. The more open and welcoming a country is the more people will want to visit it.


Those who want to drink/party will do so regardless so what is the point of banning these things?

Mashallah my influence here has impacted on you

My master plan of allowing alcohol be sold in Pakistan in full flow

 

[Syed1]

Mashallah my influence here has impacted on you

My master plan of allowing alcohol be sold in Pakistan in full flow

I hope that pun was fully intended

 

[Adil_94]

[MENTION=136108]Donal Cozzie[/MENTION] yeah Chinese tourists have a notoriously bad rep of being obnoxious and just down right rude and lacking courtesy. The Americans of Asia it seems in more ways than one

 

[Adil_94]

[MENTION=144996]Tommo[/MENTION] a westerner in Pakistan or Iran is much more likely to be a spy because they are uncommon tourist destinations than one in Turkey or Morocco where u ger thousands of western tourists every year.

 

[Robert]

I enjoyed Turkey and Morocco

 

[PakLFC]

Coz no Pakistan government has ever promoted tourism.

 

[Chrish]

In order to attract tourists, any country has to have minimum of these qualities:

1. Safety: tourists have to feel safe about their luggage not being easily stolen or no high risk of physical violence from locals.

2. Cleanliness: Another biggest factor that detracts tourists from visiting some of the Asian countries.

3. Infrastructure: When traveling in taxi, the less it feels like riding a roller-coaster, the better it is for tourists. So, roads must be improved.

4. Improved hotels: Yes tourists want to experience another culture when traveling, but when they get back to their room, they want to experience the similar comfort they would get at home. Number of 4-5 star hotels is simply lacking in some of the countries compared to major tourist destination like China.

I am surprised by the poor number of tourists even country like India gets. They are pretty much at the bottom barrel in tourism numbers. With such a deep cultural and art heritage, you would think the number would be much higher. Probably comes down to points above and lack of professionalism from staff at major tourists destination.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Tourism_rankings#Asia_and_the_Pacific

 

[Cpt. Rishwat]

I spend large amounts of money each year on travel with family (around ~$10K) including destinations such as Costa Rica, Spain, Turkey, Kenya, Mexico, Peru, etc. I keep thinking about Northern Pakistan but what holds me back along with many others I assume:

1. lack of proper transportation to Northern Areas (Gilgit, Baltistan, Skardu) which includes flights, bus services, and local transportation. There is only one flight per day from Islamabad to Skardu and is often delayed for hours.
2. lack of info from gov't or tourist sources (compared to other destinations). No detailed discussions on tourist forums, etc.
3. I do have concerns about safety but it's not a dealbreaker

The first step should be to encourage tourism from within Pakistan and those of Pakistan heritage overseas (since these people are easier to attract). Once a foundation is built and services develop, then target the non Pakistani foreigners.

All good points. I do think about going to those places myself but it's always in the distant future because of those issues, not to mention it costs a lot more to travel there than it does to those which are more accessible to Europe. That said, if there were better facilities and access I would definitely do it. But you would need the perception of safety to build a tourist trade in Pakistan and without it there isn't going to be the investment necessary to make it happen.

 

[MenInG]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">From our beaches in the south to Fairy Meadows in the north, and the rich history of our Land, Pakistan has unlimited potential for developing eco-friendly tourism. This is a commitment we are determined to fulfill InshaAllah. <a href="https://t.co/FmLiI4WkHq">pic.twitter.com/FmLiI4WkHq</a></p>— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ImranKhanPTI/status/1067088635323973632?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 26, 2018</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

 

[Azmi]

Pakistan has a some potential for "Food Tourism".

Actually Pakistanis in West are also not good sight seeing tourists, but their outing is mostly limited only to EATING.

Pakistanis try to bring "Cultural Music/Dance" as replacement of the Disco and Western music and parties, but this is not going to work.

We all saw this "alternative" cultural music and dance on Dholak in the Pakistan Super leagues in UAE, and it was an embarrassment. This makes us آدھے تیتر آدھے بٹیر

Or better to say, it made us کوا چلا ہنس کی چال، اپنی بھی بھول گیا

This copying of western culture while trying to stay in the limitations of religion, will bring us no where.

 

[sjahmed23]

North Pakistan has the potential of attracting tourists for mountain sports and etc, provided they are well maintained and looked after. South Pakistan (punjab and below) tbh has nothing to offer to the westerners, they can't eat our food because it's too spicy, they can't drink or enjoy night life because there isn't any and there are too many people doing nothing on the streets with sketchy looks.

 

[reversehook]

It is already on a upward swing, have a look at all the international youtubers and travellers posting material on youtube like:

eva zu beck,
mark wiens,
german vloger jojo aka "living the dream"
"college free",
"ADifferentAgenda"
CPIC initiative by zeeshan is sponsoring some ppl to tour Pak

among many other youtubers etc commenting on above ppl's videos that they will be visiting soon... and there are random indivuduals posting videos of their trips to Pak...

North is where we need to heavily focus and make it even better for arrangements of tourists safety and itienaries. Gov't should license proper registered guides to help facilitate tourists, instead of random people, we dont want a tourist to end up in danger wandering on their own or through an inexperienced or malicious guide...

Places like skardu, hunza, swat, gilgit baltistan, babusar, naran kaghan, are like no other.... and can drive tremendous amounts of money into the economy... then places like lahore, islu, karachi, peshawar, faislabad, etc could use uplifting and tourist safe zones etc where it could be made really easy to have tourists roam around a bit freely... Pakistan has tremendous potential due to its geography, culture, history, and although we hear/say Pak India are pretty much the same, but that is untrue in terms of tourism...

 

[reversehook]

North Pakistan has the potential of attracting tourists for mountain sports and etc, provided they are well maintained and looked after. South Pakistan (punjab and below) tbh has nothing to offer to the westerners, they can't eat our food because it's too spicy, they can't drink or enjoy night life because there isn't any and there are too many people doing nothing on the streets with sketchy looks.

disagree to ur comments on food, go to youtube sir, of late Pakistani food and touring Pakistan has taken a great turn in the right direction... and spice levels are always controllable/manageable when you cater to foreigners...

 

[chacha kashmiri]

Not enough beer in Pakistan
Not sure about female company for tourists either

 

[humzy]

Pakistan has a niche, it needs to promote that niche.

Adventure, climbing, hot air balloons, skydiving, the northern areas need better infrastructure and travel ease.

Pakistan will never be a full fledged beach party place like Morrocco due to culture.

Though I do believe alcohol should be available at bars and restaurants for tourists as it is part of their culture and will attract them.

Use New Zealand as an example.

The more locals interact with tourists and realise the amount of money they will bring, the more locals will be less judgemental of them.

 

[YousafTheBeast]

Pakistan has a niche, it needs to promote that niche.

Adventure, climbing, hot air balloons, skydiving, the northern areas need better infrastructure and travel ease.

Pakistan will never be a full fledged beach party place like Morrocco due to culture.

Though I do believe alcohol should be available at bars and restaurants for tourists as it is part of their culture and will attract them.

Use New Zealand as an example.

The more locals interact with tourists and realise the amount of money they will bring, the more locals will be less judgemental of them.

Hotels in Pakistan have alcohol available.

 

[PakLFC]

Coz occupied Afghanistan being our neighbour puts off many tourists. Another reason is we have not invested much on tourism either. In the 1960's Pak was a tourist hotspot amongst the gypsy and hippy community. They used to visit Northern Pakistan in very high numbers. Karachi beach used to be full of them before the USSR invaded our neighbours.

 

[hussain.r97]

Because Pakistanis have a problem with other people drinking, and their clothes. Pakistan has an amazing stretch of coastline with the most beautiful beaches, even a place like Gwadar has amazing potential to become a touristic beach resort. Sadly, the people of Pakistan will never accept tourists coming and bringing their party style lifestyle. IMO, Pakistan could at least start by opening a few resorts along the coast that specifically cater to foreigners, so they can do, drink, and wear whatever they like.

Islam does not tell us to force people to live like you, places like Malaysia, Morocco, and Tunisia are observant of Islam, and they do not force their views down others throats, that is why they are far more progressive and peaceful societies than Pakistan.

 

[humzy]

Coz occupied Afghanistan being our neighbour puts off many tourists. Another reason is we have not invested much on tourism either. In the 1960's Pak was a tourist hotspot amongst the gypsy and hippy community. They used to visit Northern Pakistan in very high numbers. Karachi beach used to be full of them before the USSR invaded our neighbours.

I think people don't see a huge difference between Pakistan and Afghanistan in the west tbh. Pakistan really needs to improve its brand worldwide.

 

[Pakistanian]

Because of proximity. North Africa is just a short flight away from Europe and even share the same time zones.

 

[ahmedzee]

Tourism potential is a lot but why would tourist come to Pakistan? Ever seen how long of a process it is to secure a visa?

The new Pakistan Govt need to make it easy for Foreigners to obtain visa. Start the e-visa or visa upon arrival for tourists.

Unfortunately, the Pakistan embassy all around the world runs on the 70s system. PML-N did jack and I hope the new government steps up.

 

[Buffet]

Here are some data points which highlights why Pakistan is lagging.

The Travel & Tourism Competitiveness Report 2017 - World economic forum



Pakistan is good with price competitiveness, but lags far behind in many other factors which gets tourists.

 

[Buffet]

Some more data points,



Simply having alcohol won't solve all problems. It's combination of many things which attracts tourism.

 

[faraz39]

Tourism potential is a lot but why would tourist come to Pakistan? Ever seen how long of a process it is to secure a visa?

The new Pakistan Govt need to make it easy for Foreigners to obtain visa. Start the e-visa or visa upon arrival for tourists.

Unfortunately, the Pakistan embassy all around the world runs on the 70s system. PML-N did jack and I hope the new government steps up.

Visa on arrival or EVisas would go a long way in attracting tourists who are in the region already. If I'm in Dubai and can go to Pakistan on a short notice, I might take that chance. But if I have to apply for a visa and wait for 2 weeks, I'll go somewhere else (Sri Lanka, India, Nepal, etc.).

 

[ahmedzee]

Visa on arrival or EVisas would go a long way in attracting tourists who are in the region already. If I'm in Dubai and can go to Pakistan on a short notice, I might take that chance. But if I have to apply for a visa and wait for 2 weeks, I'll go somewhere else (Sri Lanka, India, Nepal, etc.).

Currently if you are a western/foreign tourist, and you want to go to Pakistan, applying for VISA is a hassle.
You have to spend the whole day in one of our great Pakistan Embassy, and even with a whole day of misery you won't be getting the VISA as they will "mail the passport with VISA" to you for a substantial cost.

Its a massive disappointment, trust me!

Pakistan should follow on Turkey's footsteps, and give 30 or 60 day e-visa.

 

[Devilsadvokat]

Please no, apparently the Moroccan and Tunisian young men near the tourist area are a nuisance to say the least. Imagine Pakistan at this moment in time. This is not an attack on Muslim men, attack on youth would be closer to the mark.

I do remember on flights prior to the late nineties, every flight to Pakistan that had been in that time, maybe five one way, there used to be twenty/thirty tourist, mainly for mountaineering, airport being Islamabad.

 

[saeedhk]

Because Pakistan is a fortress of Islam.

 

[KingKhanWC]

It depends what kind of tourists you want to attract.

Places such as Morocco, Dubai, Tunisia etc are now full of prostitutes roaming the streets and restaurants. Alcohol is also readily available.

Pakistan is a far better place for tourism but due to war it puts off a lot of people. The natural beauty esp in the north cant be found in many areas of the world.

 

[topspin]

Cause we ain't as chill as them, they know how to have a good time. We need a huge cultural overhaul if we want to be a tourist destination.

Spot on. Btw I went to Miami in September. What a place it is I must say.

 

[Saeed]

These places don’t even get that many tourists. Turkey has more people going there then these two countries combined.

 

[Syed1]

These places don’t even get that many tourists. Turkey has more people going there then these two countries combined.

That would make sense because Turkey offers all of what these country offers (night life, party, beaches) and then some. Also Turkey is located in Europe (or just outside it) so it has alot of European tourists.

There is also a new trend I've seen in overseas Pakistani. Since PIA has gone to the crapper, Turkish Airlines offers a very affordable and cheap alternate to get to Pakistan from North America. The TA flights land in Istanbul and you only need an online visa for Turkey on a Pakistani passport, so people just extend their "transit" by two-three days to a week and enjoy a nice little vacay in Turkey.

I've done it myself and know of atleast six, seven other couples who have done the same.