ISLAMABAD: The government announced on Friday that it is easing travel restrictions in the hope of reviving tourism by offering visas
on arrival to visitors from 50 countries and electronic visas to
175 nationalities.
The reforms, approved by the cabinet, would open up a new
era for the tourism industry, which was devastated by terrorist
violence after the Sept 11, 2001, attacks in the United States,
Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry said.
“We have mountain tourism, we have beach tourism,” he told reporters in Islamabad, referring to Himalayan peaks and Arabian Sea beaches seldom visited by foreigners.
“Pakistan is a heaven for tourists.” the minister did not identify the countries that would benefit from the new rules but in December, he told Reuters that citizens of most European countries would be granted a visa on arrival.
Tourists would also be allowed to visit the politically sensitive Himalayan region of Kashmir and other northern areas, which now require special permission. The new rules would also ease travel restrictions on foreign journalists, Fawad Chaudhry said.
The new visa regime comes after some countries eased travel
advisories on Pakistan in light of improvements in security.
Pakistan was last a prominent tourist destination in the 1970s when the “hippie trail” brought Western travellers through the apricot and walnut orchards of the Swat Valley and Kashmir on their way to India and Nepal.
Since then, deteriorating security and the imposition of a
harsh interpretation of Islamic laws has chipped away at the
number of visitors. But security has since improved dramatically in recent years, with terrorist attacks down sharply in the
country of 208 million people.
The Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation said last
year tourist arrivals rose to 1.75 million in 2017, media reported.
Where we can find list of these countries?Recommend
Very Good Derision.Recommend
Good initiative Recommend
amazing decision by pakistan. Imran khan making great decisions since coming to powerRecommend
Now our bureaucracy will make mockery of Evisa. Recommend
The ‘Visa on Arrival’ facility should be on reciprocal basis. Recommend
deteriorating security and the imposition of a
harsh interpretation of Islamic laws has chipped away at the
number of visitors.
Chipped away? What a politically correct understatement. The fact is our tourism is down to a trickle and denying it helps nobody. Recommend
Indian and Afghan agents deliberately target foreigners to malign Pakistan.Recommend
Do indian can get visa too? Recommend
Which are the 175 countries who can avail on arrival visa, is India included cause the PM Imran Khan wanted to have a good relation with India, Hope we will get too, I love Pakistan and the people who and where we are working together with good relation.Recommend
Assalam o alaikum. Is there any list of countries who can get evisa or visa on arrival ?Recommend
Hi I Have travelled the world extensively been to Pakistan four times and immediately recognised the high calibre of the historical sites and vista’s that millions of tourist will pay big money for accommodation, food services and tours – Pakistan can gain Billions of foreign currency per year from this one type of industry – Tourism – The pakistan government must ensure to publicise the societies do’s and don’t do – so tourist do not offend the local customs -Marcus from Australia Recommend
When will these new rules start to apply? Or when will the e-visa and visa on arrivals start to be available?
Have the new regulations already started?Recommend