PAKISTAN'S TOURISM POWERS-UP

LINDA RICHTER in her book ''The Politics of Tourism in Asia'' writes that President Ayub Khan regime's tourism plan, was a total success because-

 By 1969, the number of foreign tourists arriving in Pakistan witnessed an appreciable growth

DURING the regime of President Ayub Khan in 1960s, the government drew up a ''master plan'' for the development of tourism in Pakistan with the help of a French Consultancy.

The government invested large sums in the development of three forms of tourism in Pakistan : religious, archaeological and recreational.

Under the initiative, Sufi-shrines and Mughal-era mosques were renovated, archaeological sites were refurbished and new hotels, cinemas and restaurants were constructed.

Pakistan is home to stunning Himalaya peaks, including K-2, and many magnificent valleys. It has beautiful Arabian Sea, deserts, Indus Valley and ancient Buddha civilization carved in its mountains and very historic forts.

To accomplish the dream of making Pakistan a tourism destination, the The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor  [CPEC] can play a vital role as this mega plan is a combination of  infrastructure development projects and highways, railways and pipelines which will connect-

Several countries with each other and provide a means for mutual interactions, engagements and  people-to-people  exchanges.

 The initiative also includes the expansion of Karakorum Highway, the road that connects Pakistan with China, which can prove to be a lifeline fore the growth of tourism in Pakistan.

Gilgit-Baltistan is the hub of tourism industry in Pakistan which attracts millions of local and foreign tourists. Every year, approximately 2.5 million tourists, both domestic and international , travel to the Northern areas in Pakistan.

The government of Azad Jammu and Kashmir has already announced to set up a tourism corridor in the valley to attract tourists.

Pakistan is also prized with diverse culture which can become a source of  attraction for the tourism  for the tourists from all over the world.

However, due to unavailability of adequate infrastructure and security issues in the past, the huge potential just couldn't be tapped.

The World Students Society thanks author and researcher Farooq Awan.