Tourism industry crumbling in Pakistan

The Petition: Save Tourism in Pakistan to UNWTO

Petition to

Secretary General, United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO)

Subject: Formation of Tourism Division to execute duties done by former Ministry of Tourism, Government of Pakistan

We the stakeholders of tourism industry appeal to above mentioned authorities to review the case of abolition of Ministry of Tourism government of Pakistan or formation of a Tourism Division for the reason mention hereunder:

Pakistan is a country that is facing its worst conditions ever regarding its tourism industry. First, it was the great tragedy of 9/11 that dented the tourism industry, and then in 2005, a horrific earthquake collapsed the total tourism infrastructure and this was followed by the Taliban capturing the beautiful Swat Valley. These disasters were followed by year 2010 bringing the floods that wreaked havoc with the entire tourism sector. Now, there is no tourism ministry left in Pakistan, and no tourism ministry means no tourism department and no tourism minister.

Such a situation has sent a very negative image of Pakistan around the world because when other countries like Sri Lanka and Nepal went through law and order situation , these countries increased publicity and promotion budget of tourism industry and recovered from downward trends.

Federal Ministry of Tourism was abolished under the constitutional requirement that ensures transfer of the tourism ministry to the provinces. This decision should have been followed by a National Board to look after publicity and promotion of Pakistan aboard and registration with international tourism organisations. However, it has not been done and responsibilities of former Tourism Ministry (MoT) have been distributed among many different federal ministries without any focal authority to look into the affairs.

No federal ministry has indicated world over that there would be no desire or demand to promote Pakistan as a country on the global map of tourism.

For the time being, the Government of Pakistan has placed membership and participation in the International organizations/events and International / bilateral Agreements on Tourism under the Economic Affairs Division which will be doing it part time as they have many other sectors (in addition to Tourism) of the economy to look after. So the priority for Tourism will be very low.

Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation (PTDC) is well designed to look after such specific job but they are planning to wind up this 40 years old organization as well. On the other hand, the provincial tourism organizations have not yet developed their capacity and their job will specifically be (and should be) to develop and promote tourism for their respective provinces.

We the stakeholders request the competent authority to review the situation and formulate a Tourism Division working under the Task Force comprising of all stakeholders of Tourism industry that will look after Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation, Pakistan Tours Limited and will also responsible for international memberships and publicity of Pakistan as a Tourism Destination.

Tourism Concern is concerned about Tourism in Pakistan

In the past decade, Pakistan has faced significant challenges to the healthy development of the country's tourism industry: the great tragedy of 9/11 that significantly reduced tourism arrivals in 2001; the horrific earthquake that collapsed the country's tourism infrastructure in 2005, followed by the Taliban capturing the beautiful Swat Valley and further deteriorating the state of tourism; and the devastating floods that wreaked havoc on most of the country in 2010.Click her to read more about Tourism Concern story.

  reports about disasters of tourism industry in Pakistan. Visit http://www.eturbonews.com/23433/disaster-after-disaster-equals-no-tourism-ministry-pakistan