Promoting tourism

The incumbent government is highly optimistic about the amount of revenue it can possibly generate from pioneering initiatives being undertaken for the promotion of tourism in the country.

As per the new visa policy introduced, visitors from 50 countries will be able to get visas on arrival while citizens of 175 countries will be allowed to avail the facility of electronic-visa. One of the major aims behind the launching of this new visa-regime is to attract tourists from around the world.

For the same purpose, Pakistan has suggested that the Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation (CAREC) countries should exploit a single-visa facility as many of their cities share ancient and historic linkages which will help tourists to see all of these in one go. This will automatically result in fostering of strong relations among the member states who will learn from each other particularly vis-à-vis tourism. Worryingly, it is unlikely to be pushed through in the near future taking into account the importance shown in this proposal. The drive by our leadership for advancement of tourism should be nevertheless appreciated.

There is no doubt Pakistan has a lot to provide to global holidaymakers. We haven’t yet effectively exploited a tiny part of our religious, mountainous, beach, and archaeological tourism potential. There are Sufi shrines, Mughal-era mosques, old Hindu temples, Sikh gurdwaras, and many Buddhist religious sites scattered in areas from Karachi to Khyber. The archaeological remains of the Mohenjo Daro and Harappa civilizations and centuries-old Buddhist sites in Taxila and Takht-e-Bhai are a few among many such places which offer a glimpse of archaic cultures. So, it makes sense to build high hopes on tourism industry which can bring unprecedented investment, boost our ailing economy and, hopefully, help in the eradication of poverty.

But there are many difficult hurdles in the way, which warrant decisive actions. No one likes to spend money just so that they put their lives at risk by visiting a country where bomb explosions occur, unsatisfactory law and order situation prevails, and mobocracy is common. Where garbage litters cities’ streets and thoroughfares. Where people have to dump refuse in camping and picnic sites owing to unavailability of dustbins and wastebaskets.

In addition to that, our society is not sensitized to antiquities and archaeological remains which have been damaged, looted, and plundered on many occasions. The encouraging news is that the National Action Plan has been taken seriously now, and there are reasonable prospects that the country would soon find a complete serenity. It is also urgently required to fight pollution effectively both in urban and rural areas and make tourist spots attractive by beautification and cleanliness. But that wouldn’t be enough.

As we realize our tourist potential and foreigners start frequenting Pakistan, a head-on clash of values may break out between the would-be visitors and the local population. Tourists, especially female ones, may face harassment because of dress code and demeanour. Even if this new vision is materialized and Pakistan becomes a popular world tourists’ destination, many would equate it with an invasion by alien cultures. This may present a difficult challenge for the government to deal with.

Countries which ask tourists from the very outset to respect the local culture and tradition attract a comparatively small number of them, so issuing such a directive may prove quite damaging and counterproductive. Such an injunction may lead people to develop a natural aversion to travel to Pakistan considering it a very difficult place for people to assimilate.

Maldives is a small country of South Asia which comprises about 1200 islands. Its constitution stands third on the ranking of the Islamic Constitutions Index – just after Saudi Arabia and Iran – and yet it successfully attracts tourists from every nook and cranny of the world. Over one million foreigners take pleasure trips to resorts on these islands annually including nearly 30,000 Americans. This has made tourism the largest industry of the Maldives and a source of substantial revenues. How?

There is a strict security system designed for tourists, and it has been ensured that they make no contacts with the local people and are taken to their specific resorts via seaplanes or speedboat straight from the airport. Having no idea of what is the situation in the rest of the country, for tourists the Maldives is a liberal and secular nation as they are allowed in their particular resorts to act as they wish.

The point is not that we should follow the example of Maldives; it is that we need to take the factor of incompatible values between locals and foreigners seriously while publicizing our tourism potential.

The writer is a freelance contributor.

Email: SirajShawa@gmail.com