Pakistani government officials and private sector experts have beenanticipating 2021 as the year of economic growth and have predicted apartial recovery of international tourism in the country in the second halfof the new year from July to December.
The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government has been actively working topromote tourism in the country, and the influx of foreign touristsincreased by 70 percent in 2018 as compared to 2017 during its regime. Inthe subsequent years, the five-day tour by Britain’s royal couple, PrinceWilliam and Kate Middleton, to Pakistan, as well as the Forbes declarationthat Pakistan is the best travel destination in January 2020 helpedincrease the number of international tourists to the country.——————————
However, tourism in the country suffered a major setback in 2020 due to theoutbreak of COVID-19, which was followed by the imposition of lockdownsalmost all over the world and the suspension of international traveling.
Sindh’s Minister for Culture, Tourism, and Antiquities, Sardar Ali Shahsaid, “The government allowed foreigners and locals to visit the tourists’spots with full SOPs and social distancing when the spread of the viruscame significantly under control during August-September 2020”.
However, the second wave of the pandemic once more suspended activities onthe tourism front.——————————
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About recovery henceforth, the minister said, “My guess is that tourismwill normalize with the start of the summer. It will remain affected untilJune and may recover by 20 to 25 percent during July and December 2021 asthe world has also introduced effective vaccines”.
The Pearl Continental Hotel Secretary, Mansoor Khan, said that thecountry’s hospitality industry has huge potential for development.
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“However, COVID-19 has badly impacted cash flows. The government shouldprovide some incentives in taxation and on new investment,” he remarked.
Pakistan is home to some of the most beautiful tourist destinations in theworld such as the Swat Valley, Skardu, the Hunza Valley, the HingolNational Park, the Kalash Valleys, historical mosques and temples, anddeserts.
In October, the British High Commissioner, Christian Turner traveled to theNorthern Areas and remarked, “In my first visit to the north of Pakistan Iwas blown away by its natural beauty”.
The spokesperson for Pakistan International Airline (PIA), Abdullah Hafeez,announced that it has restored flight operations to the Northern Areas.
“The occupancy rate stands at 70 to 80 percent on flights from Gilgit,Skardu, and Chitral to Islamabad, while it is 20 to 30 percent for theother way, as this always happens during winter,” he said.
Via: Tribunelink
