Pakistan: An Ideal Destination for Spiritual Tourism

News Desk

Islamabad: Pakistan is an ideal destination for spiritual tourism, possessing significant potential to transform the country’s tourism landscape, said Senator Mushahid Hussain.

Speaking at the ‘Tourism for Peace Dialogue’ organized by the Institute of Regional Studies (IRS) and Walnut Travel and Tour Consultancy (WTTC), the former chairman of the Senate Defence Committee stressed the importance of increased public-private partnerships, noting that the government alone cannot manage the tourism sector.

Senator Hussain praised the Kartarpur Corridor as an excellent hub for soft power and spiritual transformation, highlighting the need for its effective global promotion.

He called for translating existing goodwill and connections—such as the strong ties between Pakistan and China, the enrollment of Afghan and African students in Pakistani universities, and Pakistan’s cordial relations with Muslim countries—into greater tourism promotion.

He commended the IRS for expanding its strategic focus to include tourism as a means to foster interfaith harmony and peace in the region.

Ambassador Jauhar Saleem, President of IRS, underscored the significant global impact of tourism, which contributes 10 percent to the world GDP. He noted that developed countries like the US and France generate hundreds of billions from tourism, while emerging economies such as Turkey, the UAE, and Thailand earn more from tourism than Pakistan’s total exports.

Recalling that Pakistan was a major tourist destination for Western tourists in the 1960s and early 1970s, he stressed the need to rebuild “Brand Pakistan.”

 He noted that tourism, trade, and investment predominantly flow to countries with a positive soft image and pointed out that Pakistan has not adequately showcased its tourism potential compared to regional counterparts like India, Sri Lanka, and the Maldives.

Sadaf Khalid Khan, CEO of WTTC, called for public-private collaboration to build internationally recognized tourism infrastructure in Pakistan, referencing the 2023 UNWTO report that labeled Pakistan as one of the safest tourist destinations worldwide.

Vice Admiral Ahmed Saeed, President of the National Institute of Maritime Affairs (NIMA), highlighted that 80 percent of global tourism is maritime, showcasing Pakistan’s untapped maritime tourism potential.

He mentioned that NIMA had identified key areas and made policy recommendations to the governments of Sindh and Balochistan, which are currently under review, and expressed hope that implementing these recommendations will significantly boost maritime tourism.

Deputy Ambassador of Sri Lanka, Augustine Christy Ruban, suggested enhancing Buddhist tourism by attracting more visitors from Thailand, China, Korea, and Japan, and recommended creating a corridor similar to the Kartarpur corridor to boost religious tourism along Pakistan’s coastal areas.

Rai Aurangzeb Bhatti, CEO of The Trust Era, emphasized the need to attract Sikh Yatris, who number over 40 million globally. He pointed out that although Pakistan is home to 110 gurdwaras, most Sikhs are familiar only with Nankana Sahib and Kartarpur. He advocated for the use of advanced technology and AI to establish modern tourist facilitation centers.

Omair Khattak, General Manager of the Department of Tourism in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK), noted that insufficient coordination between provinces has hindered the development of a cohesive tourism policy, further exacerbated by limited execution capacity.

Ikram Fareed from Green Tourism shared plans to develop 100 resorts across the country, with the first phase featuring 17 resorts set to open to the public in the coming months.