Foreign tourists back out of trips post Osama

Hotel owners and tour operators tell how the May 2 incident has adversely affected tourism industry in the north.

ISLAMABAD:

A large number of climbing expeditions and other groups of foreign tourists who had planned their trips in Pakistan this summer have cancelled after the killing of Osama Bin Laden in Abbottabad earlier this month.

There is fear of reprisals against foreigners, who have been advised to avoid travel in Pakistan by their respective governments.

This has resulted in huge financial losses to the tourist companies who had already invested heavily making arrangements for the tours.

In particular, the mountaineering firms have been hit hard as they have to plan all expeditions months in advance.

Different tour operators reported that many of their scheduled groups, who had confirmed their visits to Pakistan, have abruptly cancelled due to the uncertain law and order situation in the country.

Some countries have also issued special travel advisories to their citizens to avoid unnecessary travel in Muslim countries particularly Pakistan.

Nazir Sabir, renowned mountaineer and tour operator, said that about three major groups of his company cancelled their scheduled visit to Pakistan causing a loss of millions of rupees to the company. He added that mountaineering had just started picking up after a near total end of business after 9/11.

An official of Waljis Tour, one of the leading tourism companies of Pakistan, said that out of 24 groups, who had earlier scheduled their visits through their company, were not confirming their visit due to the prevailing situation in the country.

“I don’t think that anyone now prefers coming to Pakistan unless it is a compulsion,” the official said. He asked not to be named. He also blamed the media for creating so much hype over Osama’s killing.

An official of Explore Pakistan, a tour company, said two of its groups, one from Britain and one from the US, have cancelled their visits to Pakistan after the incident.

Tour operators and hotel owners in the tourist zones, particularly in Gilgit-Baltistan, Swat, Naran and Kaghan are extremely frustrated over the decade-long recession in their business. These picturesque and cold regions attracted both local and international tourists about a decade ago and had a thriving business.

Ali Madad Guliue, a hotel owner in Hunza, said that the hotel industry has been badly affected for the past ten years as foreign tourists avoid visiting Pakistan.

This has also rendered a lot of porters, shopkeepers and hotel employees jobless.

“We totally depended on tourism for our income before 9/11. But no one comes here anymore,” he said.

He added, “The government should take effective steps to attract international and domestic tourists and revive the sinking industry.”

Published in The Express Tribune, May 23^rd, 2011.