How Pakistan can be the next tourist hub

PESHAWAR:

Having spent nearly six months as MD Green Tourism, a relatively new company formed under SIFC to boost tourism sector, I intend to give my thoughts on where we stand and how to go about it.

On the formation of Green Tourism, I feel the biggest contribution by this company is to open a debate on tourism related issues, opportunities and challenges. Having met over 200 people in the industry, I feel it is a low hanging fruit and in the long term will provide rich dividends. However, we must act instead of too much discussion; we know the problems and their solutions. I also want to clarify that we may inherit some best practices from the world, but our environment is different and we must brand Pakistan as such rather than in comparison.

A lot has been written on the statistics available in the open market. I don’t want to deliberate much on that but suffice to say that our statistics are not accurate due to lack of e-tourism, very low number of foreign tourists (nearly 49,000), poor passport ranking (98/101), meagre footfall of religious/faith tourism (only 15,000), poor WTTC Ranking of 101 that went down in 2023, bad indicators of Sustainable Development Goals and Pakistan is rated 137/166, among last three in Asia. This is even though in 2022, we were declared a most apt destination, which we are.

This clearly answers the question: “why Green Tourism?” What we lack and how to fill the gap is a question in everyone’s mind. If our economic drivers are good at tourism and our growth is 8% of GDP, then tourism will become a market of $36 Billion in the next 10 years (or whenever it is achieved). As a society we should look at the positives. I can quote with conviction having stayed in China for over three years that we have superior culture, artifacts, history, civilization and religion, but need to know and believe in what we have. Pakistan has always been recognised for its geo-strategic location, but why not talk about the geo-strategic population – proximity to China, India and Southeast Asia means more than half of the world’s population is in our neighborhood. And why not talk of geo-strategic culture (Buddhist, Sikhism, Hinduism, Judaism, Indo-Iranian and Indo Greek civilisation).

I have been attending seminars and symposiums where only potential is discussed; we have the best of geography, mountains, weather, hunting, archaeology, heritage, history, coastline and religious sites etc. In my opinion the most important thing to realise is that our local tourism has picked up and was recorded at 27 million tourists in 2023. However going into the genesis of why Pakistan has not been able to take off internationally, I have eight reasons to list:

• Pakistan’s name became synonymous to terrorism and this old impression must be dispelled.
• Poor projection and branding in the international tourism market.
• Poor infrastructure and connectivity.
• Lack of policies and by-laws, and division between federation and provinces post 18th Amendment.
• The public sector lagged in services while tourism growth was driven by private sector.
• Lack of diversification of tourism – we spoiled the environment and summer highlands, and no new plan was offered.
• The rating system for hotels, tour operators and guides, and e-tourism remain underdeveloped.
• Non-investment friendly environment, no one-window operation, no ease of doing business, lack of encouragement in B2B, freelancing and tax/ duty concessions.

Domestically I would like to deliberate on these areas, which have retarded our growth in the tourism sector. Firstly, the lack of a centralised body: there are over 30 government organisations dealing with different facets of tourism. If we include private organisations the tally is over 50. After the 18th Amendment, tourism is a provincial subject, so I find a gap exists between the federation and provinces, which happens nowhere in the world.

Secondly the legal framework and implementation is flowing from point one: Pakistan Hotel Act/Regulation, Tourist Guide Act/Regulation, Travel Agents Act and Antiquities Act cover these important aspects, but over thirty legal frameworks exist. Thirdly, issues of responsible tourism vs. rowdy tourism; we have not been able to resolve NOC, security issues and end-to-end tourism, thus perceptions around the globe are negative. We want to increase tourism, but everyone is self-centered. We need a change in social behaviour; it is not about literate or illiterate but a sense of ownership and awareness about tourism.

Green Tourism reaches grassroots level and will endeavour to bridge all these gaps. However, we are a private company and face challenges every day. Expectations are that we will fix tourism, but we have no power and we try to fill the gaps. We facilitate where gaps exist, we create and wherever we find private sector is better we try to empower it. It is encouraging to note that the incumbent government and Prime Minister have shown supportive intent and focus. If we keep debating the issues, we will find the solution. Green Tourism Private Limited, being a private company under SIFC is acting as a facilitator of all in the tourism industry. Our vision is: “Promote the tourism industry and become a significant contributor to the National Exchequer while creating projects for Foreign Direct Investment as well as Public Private Partnerships.”

Our objectives in short are built on nine pillars. I am not shy to say at times we become tangent to bureaucracy.

• To build and support infrastructure (at selected sites) for tourism and provision of an exciting end-to-end experience.
• To support and facilitate religious tourism as a high yield component of overall tourist activity.
• To synergiae the ecosystem of tourism through green alliances involving Evacuee Trust Property Board, Board of Investment, Pakistan Association of Tour Operators, Parks and Hotel Association etc.
• To assist in upkeep and preservation of historical and archeological sites, utilising public private partnership (PPP) model.
• To direct efforts in opening avenues in the tourism domain (events, sports, beaches, wildlife/bird watching, trophy hunting/hunting reserve and medical etc.).
• To add in creation of jobs and entrepreneurial opportunities in the tourism sector and generate supply of skilled work force.
• To participate in creating an enabling environment for sustainable, responsible and inclusive development of tourism in the country.
• To act as a bridge between all stakeholders of the tourism industry to accrue maximum benefits and target FDI.
• To project a soft image of Pakistan, create means and ways in target countries, with international branding the most important component.

Green tourism is promoting interests to be worked at policy level. Some of our initiatives include:

Debate on uniform laws and regulations without impinging provincial liberty – is there a need for the Tourism Ministry, National Tourism Authority, National Tourism Coordination Board or a Task Force? Case in point our tourism and other aspects being experienced in the contemporary world.

We need ingenious and imaginative ideas – Walled City of Lahore managed by Walled City Lahore Authority (WCLA) is an idea that brought a visible change. We need to involve the federal and provincial government in sustainable tourism. Big and bold decisions must be taken.

Introduction of new visa regime is a good step forward, but there must be a second phase to this, which needs to be spelled out, opening Pakistan up to the world.

Gilgit-Baltistan is our main repository of tourists and needs help to establish its policies. I can say reforms in tourism sector e.g. provision of electricity, monetary reforms, mountaineering reforms, community-based model, concept of preserved areas, waste management, opening of new air routes, Search and Rescue (SAR) 1122 for mountains, promotion of aviation and opening of Khunjrab to Hunza-Gilgit, besides building infrastructure.

Diversification of tourism has been our issue and we have not been able to open our coastlines. We envision cruises, riverine and lake tourism, and hope to open new areas to tourism.

Currently Green Tourism is developing understanding with over thirty hotels and resorts, airlines, TV channels, universities and aviation sector firms. We are also in negotiations with ETPB, WAPDA, CDA and Railways to negotiate lease/contract for promotion of doing business in this industry.

Green Tourism has completed 17 different sites as hotels and resorts, which were closed over the years. They have been aesthetically developed with add-ons to provide quality accommodation. In the next phase, twenty sites will be involved.

Green Tourism is also working on event and sports tourism. One event of Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) held in Lahore brought 300 foreigners from over 20 countries and accumulated viewership of over 500 million. We need to brand Pakistan with such events and celebrities.

World over, the tourism industry gives opportunities to allied industries such as souvenirs and HR etc. We are working on this aspect and intend opening up shops at airports and resorts and create an international standard Human Resource institute with JV or PPP.

IT Industry plays a major role in tourism. Case in point is booking.com and other engines. Green Tourism is working on the Green IT Engine to enable tourists to find desired accommodation, guides and tours on their phone, and to create a rating system.

Like hotel accommodation, tour operators play a pivotal role in tourism. B2B is the best model. We need to resolve issues of PATO and provide opportunities to link them across the globe. Likewise important tourism festivals across the globe are to be attended with a purpose such as ITB in Germany, WTM in London and Travel & Adventure Show in New York and other important ones.

Pakistan has very few city hotels and our forts/palaces need attention. Some can be converted into five-star world class resorts.

We need ‘Trailogy Concept’ trails through Tour Operators. It’s not all about eco-tourism but heritage tourism; Sindh has valuable sites, Punjab has wonderful lakes in Chakwal, K-P has heritage, AJK has scenic spots, Balochistan has Mehrgarh and mountain trekking trails, etc. We have a treasure of over 6,000 sites. We need to introduce trails for tourists to go and see with ease.

As foreign tourists see Pakistan from lens of UNESCO heritage sites, of which we have six, I think we must increase their visibility to become prominent in world.

Two issues that are very prominent in our tourism landscape are security and the behaviour of our local tourists. Let’s not be afraid of these but find solutions. On security, I am a believer in openness, having been affiliated with security since 2009, I believe in opening up. If you open tourism to hard areas, it will soothe the region. Case in point is Swat and Kumrat where tourism has taken over security with the help of people.

The second issue is more apt social behaviour. I believe we need a national policy on social behaviour. It costs us nothing, as we need awareness. A special Prime Minister’s initiative is to be launched to benefit the nation.

Given a choice to prioritise, I would say Sikhs, Buddhists and Hindu pilgrimages, and mountaineering/trekking should take centre stage of our tourism. Have we understood the importance of this, my answer is ‘No’.

 

Hassan Azhar Hayat is retired Pakistan Army lieutenant general and currently serves as MD Green Tourism

All facts and information are the sole responsibility of the author