ISLAMABAD: Significantly improved security situation has helped boostannual tourist arrivals in Pakistan by 300% since past few years with 1.75million in 2017.

There has been a significant increase in the annual tourism rate andbusiness travelling in Pakistan.

Domestic travellers have increased 30%, according to Pakistan TourismDevelopment Corporation (PTDC) While Jovago, the top hotel booking ande-commerce site in Pakistan, claimed hotel bookings increased by 80-90%percent in 2017.

According to Jovago, over the past few years, Pakistan has seen a rapidincrease in its tourism industry. A lot of credit, for which, goes to theinternet and publicity. It has immensely contributed towards thedevelopment and growth of the tourism industry in Pakistan.

World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) puts the total contribution oftourism to Pakistan’s economy at $19.4 billion last year or 6.9 percent ofthe gross domestic product. In a decade, the WTTC expects that to rise to$36.1 billion.

The government has been making efforts to promote tourism and make PTDC afinancially viable organisation, said Managing Director PTDC Ch. AbdulGhafoor while talking to APP.

He said that PTDC and the University of Management and Technology (UMT)Lahore signed a MoU for the sponsorship of PTDC’s publicity materialincluding banners, website, seminars and conferences.

Products and service of PTDC will also be promoted through social media.PTDC has recently launched Pakistan Tourism Friends Club, in which membersof the club will get exclusive 20% discount on PTDC facilities. – APP