Global travel giants eye Pakistan

Pakistan’s growing travel market is quickly attracting the attention of global players, with digital platforms betting on the country’s growing middle class, abundant human resource pool, and increasing appetite for international journeys.

Among the frontrunners is Wego, a Singapore- and Dubai-headquartered travel booking platform, which has now formally launched its full suite of services in Pakistan after operating a research and development (R&D) hub in Lahore for several years.

“Pakistan is ready for us,” said Ross Veitch, Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder of Wego, in an interview with The Express Tribune. “We have been in the country for five years, building our technology team with Pakistani talent. Now we are going full scale by bringing our entire experience to local consumers, localised apps, local payment methods, Urdu support, and partnerships with every carrier operating in and out of Pakistan.”

Founded in 2005, Wego has established itself as the leading travel app in the Gulf, especially popular among travellers to and from Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). With Pakistan ranking among the top outbound travel markets in the region, Veitch sees significant growth potential.

According to the company’s data, international travel from Pakistan rose by nearly 60% in 2024-25, while in Saudi Arabia alone the ratio climbed by 75%. Figures from the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) show more than one million Pakistanis travelled abroad in 2024-25. Nearly 180,000 pilgrims performed Hajj and hundreds of thousands undertook Umrah, making religious travel a prime target market for companies like Wego.

Veitch said his company is especially bullish on religious travel. “We already see large volumes of Umrah bookings coming through our platform. Saudi Arabia is our number one global market, and Pakistan is one of the biggest contributors of Umrah pilgrims. If we can make Umrah travel easier by packaging flights, hotels, visas, and ground logistics in one seamless process, Pakistanis will benefit the most.”

The company has also integrated local payment options, including direct bank transfers, to cut down on high international card fees. “Instead of paying expensive charges for international cards, you pay locally and almost free. That’s a game changer,” Veitch stressed.

The company is also using data-driven negotiations with airlines, leveraging its booking scale to secure better deals for customers. “We have been fine-tuning our product for years and already handle large volumes in and out of Pakistan. That gives us the power to negotiate with carriers and pass on the benefits to travellers,” he explained.

Domestic travel is another growth area. With over five million passengers flying within Pakistan annually, Wego believes the segment has strong potential if airlines and policymakers adopt open frameworks. “My advice to the government is to adopt an open sky policy. Allow more carriers to enter and let competition flourish. That will serve Pakistani travellers best,” Veitch said.
While Veitch is optimistic, local stakeholders argue that Pakistan’s industry still faces structural challenges.

Raja Wahid, Managing Director of PFA, a local travel solutions provider, pointed out that while international travel has risen, its composition has shifted. “We don’t know how many of these travellers are job seekers and how many are tourists. Last year’s temporary visa restrictions from the UAE had a significant impact. On the other hand, illegal or unsafe travel through human trafficking networks has declined after tragic incidents received media coverage,” he noted.

He added that Pakistan’s travel sector still lags behind its regional peers in digital adoption. “After Pakistan came out of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) grey list, the industry started moving towards Online Travel Agencies (OTAs). But right now, barely 1% of travel agencies have shifted online. In India, more than 75% are OTAs – we are far behind,” Wahid said.

Part of the reluctance, he explained, comes from outdated practices and regulatory hurdles. “In Pakistan, a travel agent is often held responsible for a customer’s visa problems or even unrelated issues like suspicious baggage found at airports. The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) needs to upgrade its system so agents are not unfairly blamed,” Wahid argued.

Despite these hurdles, observers agree that the future lies in digital platforms. OTAs provide integrated booking systems, secure payment gateways, and transparent customer service — features increasingly demanded by younger, tech-savvy Pakistanis. Wego’s management thinks that Pakistan’s potential is about more than just numbers. The company’s Lahore office, founded by two Pakistani engineers who returned from Singapore, has grown into a global development hub employing more than 30 engineers, with plans for further expansion. “Pakistan has brilliant human resources in technology. That’s why Lahore is now the heartbeat of our global mobile development,” Veitch said.

Currently, the company is reinvesting in the Pakistani market rather than chasing immediate profits. “This country has the talent, the demand, and the ambition. We are here to make travel easier, cheaper, and smarter for every Pakistani who wants to explore the world,” Veitch concluded.