A Glance of Tourism in Pakistan and its Challenges

• 13 Gates of Lahore (Punjab)
• Highest Mountain Ranges in Pakistan
• Minar-e-Pakistan in Lahore (Punjab)
• Historical Places in Pakistan
• Kund Malir Beach in Makran (Balochistan)
• Gwadar Cricket Stadium (Balochistan)
• Margala Hills in Islamabad (Punjab)
• Mohen Jo Daro in Larkana (Sindh)
• Northern Valleys in Pakistan
• Fairy Meadows (Gilgit Baltistan)
• Derawar Fort in Bahawalpur (Punjab)
• Beaches of Karachi
• Port Grand in Karachi (Sindh)
• Karakoram Highway (Punjab)
• Kirthar National Park in Jamshoro (Sindh)

Challenges of Tourism in Pakistan

If we discuss the hurdles and challenges of tourism in Pakistan, there are some concerns that need attention. Without working on them, we cannot proceed to meet the advanced standards. For instance, here are some challenges and obstacles of tourism in Pakistan.

Misconceptions

A decade back, very few foreigners preferred to enter Pakistan because of horrible marks left by terrorism but everything has changed now. Foreigners have started to visit Pakistan to experience the security measures and changes after the war against terrorism. Still, some people have misconceptions and fear because of the bombardment of negative information by some rival forces and media. Most of the westerners have a distorted perception of Pakistan which is somehow changing with time. Furthermore, some western vloggers had travelled throughout Pakistan recently to send a message of a safe and secure travelling experience, which gained huge popularity in the entire world via social media.

Safety and Security

Every country needs safe and secure tourism without compromising anything. In addition, there are some gaps and a lack of coordination between private tourism companies and security forces, which raises questions about the safety of tourists. At the moment, everything is fine and foreign tourists also travel all over the country without any fear or hesitation. But there are some security measures that the government is working to tackle. Here is how you can tackle snowstorms while stuck in a car.

Language Barrier

For a better understanding, one needs proper communication, which is possible only through literacy. Foreign tourists struggle to communicate with locals because of the communication barriers. Even some vendors and hotel staff struggle to communicate with foreigners in the English language. As a result, foreigners have to hire an interpreter sometimes a guide to communicate with the locals, which adds up their expenses. Besides, this language barrier creates problems in other issues. To tackle it, the government should build training centres and focus on local academies for the literacy of the people in those areas.

Price Exploitation

This issue is almost everywhere in the world, where similar pricing standards are not followed. Some vendors exploit the tourists by hiking the prices of general items. Since most of them are overlooked by the authorities, they manipulate the foreigners into fabricated inflation. This issue has a seriously-negative impact on the tourism industry in Pakistan. It does not happen everywhere but in a few of the places while you will also experience the extravagance of the locals where they avoid charging the foreigners as a gesture of hospitality. This is very common in Pakistan where the locals have a strong sense of care for visitors. Strict and transparent law and order with proper implementation can help deal with it.

Hotels Oligopoly

Some specific areas have a common issue of oligopoly, where some hotels exploit the tourists through high charges in accommodation. Because of this issue, people prefer private tour guides and packages in advance. Now this problem is somehow under the spotlight of authorities since a big number of complaints were received against the hotel mafia. As a result, the Pakistan tourism industry faces backlash from all sources of media. Similarly, strict laws imposition can help deal with this issue.

Out-Dated Infrastructure

Some areas of tourism have outdated infrastructure which dents the Pakistan tourism industry. These areas are mostly in Sindh and Balochistan, which are southern and western regions respectively. Because of the lack of attention from their respective governments, their underdeveloped infrastructure harms tourism in Pakistan. Numerous places are worthy of exploration but to reach them you have to face multiple route difficulties. Proper coordination between the local government and PTDC (Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation) can help exterminate this matter.

Conclusion

These features and factors play a vital role in tourism in Pakistan, which is improving every year as the demand for travelling is rising. It is also improving the business cycle by contributing to the GDP of Pakistan. As the government and relative authorities are promoting tourism in Pakistan, the people of this country are also playing their role in revamping the best part of travelling. 

If you have already made your mind for a tour of Pakistan, here is a list of backpacking for travelling and budget-friendly travelling. You may also have a look at Omicron, a new variant of COVID19. For more informative blogs, visit Jagah Online. Don’t forget to follow us on Facebook.