Pakistan launches new initiative to attract European tourists

[Ali Tariq]

3 May, 2019

ISLAMABAD - With an aim to promote Pakistan as a preferred destination amongst French and European tourists, the Embassy of Pakistan to France in collaboration with leading French tour operator company Clio organized an outreach event.

This was the second such event organized at the Embassy. Over 100 French clients of “Clio”, who were invited through special invitations, attended the event, said a press release received here.

The ambassador Moin ul Haque invited the participants to visit Pakistan and explore its hidden touristic secrets. Pakistan was unique and diverse in terms of its landscapes and offered a variety of activities and attractions for tourists of all shades, he said and added that promotion of tourism was the priority of the Government of Pakistan.

He said besides developing modern facilities and launching a new visa regime for visitors, government’s tourism policy would ensure that tourism remained sustainable and eco-friendly while preserving the nature and its resources for future generations. The ambassador lauded the French tour operators for being a valuable partner in promoting Pakistan as a preferred tourist destination.

PM Imran Khan chairs meeting regarding Ramzan Package
Gérard Rovillé, a world renowned anthropologist and an accomplished researcher shared personal experiences of his frequent travels to Pakistan.

Earlier, Director Asia Region of Clio Marie Annick informed the participants that Clio was offering a variety of exclusive packages for visiting Pakistan titled, “Pakistan: 5000 Years of Art and History”, “The North of Pakistan” and “Grand Tour of Pakistan”.

She said that all these tour packages were in great demand and most of them for 2019 and 2020 had already been booked. Clio created in 1976 offers tour packages to over 200 tourism destinations in 85 countries.

 

[maximuswarrior]

The focus should not be Europeans. The target audience should be much closer to home. East Asian and Middle Eastern nations should be the focus. Culturally we are also much more understanding and closer to each other.

The Europeans are too far and don’t have an understanding of Pakistan other than what their media feeds them. It will be challenging for Pakistan to mass attract European tourists.

East Asian and rich Middle Eastern tourists are much closer to Pakistan and have an appetite for adventure. Pakistan is perfect for these tourists. You need tourist zones and you need good hotels to accommodate these tourists.

 

[YeBeWarned]

I'll do my best to record my trip with my Wife, and post it here on Tourism section, and on youtube as well .. if it help Pakistan and its tourism i will be glad to do it

 

[Lincoln]

The focus should not be Europeans. The target audience should be much closer to home. East Asian and Middle Eastern nations should be the focus. Culturally we are also much more understanding and closer to each other.

The Europeans are too far and don’t have an understanding of Pakistan other than what their media feeds them. It will be challenging for Pakistan to mass attract European tourists.

East Asian and rich Middle Eastern tourists are much closer to Pakistan and have an appetite for adventure. Pakistan is perfect for these tourists. You need tourist zones and you need good hotels to accommodate these tourists.

Middle East and East Asia doesn't produce as many tourists.

 

[maximuswarrior]

Middle East and East Asia doesn't produce as many tourists.

East Asian countries have plenty of tourist potential. We can argue about Middle East, but young Middle Eastern population in gulf nations are a potential target.

Europe is far away. Culturally we are not aligned. Pakistan is too alien for them. They have limited understanding. What worsens our case is the Western media which constantly portrays Pakistan in a negative light. Their media is politically motivated. The narrative is controlled by their government stance. It is an uphill task. Pakistan has much better chance of promoting tourism in Gulf states and East Asian countries. South Korea, Japan, Russia, Central Asia, Malaysia, Indonesia, KSA, UAE etc.

 

[Imran Khan]

open it up damn open it . no visa required - open travel - gov protection helpline for tourists 24/7 - no ban of alcohol - every major city must have pubs- free medical on emergency issues - there is so much we can do to promote it

 

[maximuswarrior]

open it up damn open it . no visa required - open travel - gov protection helpline for tourists 24/7 - no ban of alcohol - every major city must have pubs- free medical on emergency issues - there is so much we can do to promote it

It won’t have much effect to be honest. The Europeans are towing the American line. Right now, they are not very interested in portraying Pakistan as a tourist destination. We can have nude beaches, pubs, prostitution etc. Won’t make an iota of difference.

 

[Imran Khan]

It won’t have much effect to be honest. The Europeans are towing the American line. Right now, they are not very interested in portraying Pakistan as a tourist destination. We can have nude beaches, pubs, prostitution etc. Won’t make an iota of difference.

man we have to be open any how things will change with time not overnight

 

[maximuswarrior]

man we have to be open any how things will change with time not overnight

That is not how the world works. Pakistan is very open and hospitable. It is for everyone to see on YT. Pakistan already has amazing tourism potential as it stands. That is not the issue at all.

The issue is politics. Politically Pakistan is not aligned with the West. Hence it will never be presented in a favorable light.

You want to invite European tourists whose governments accuse Pakistan of all sorts? Have you ever watched or read Western media’s reporting on Pakistan? It is like doomsday. Think about it. How can a European tourist be attracted in such circumstances? A few European tourists will always make it, but those will always be an exception.

 

[bananarepublic]

One of the largest segment of Pakistans international tourists is from Japan
The only thing we need now is better infrastructure I mean hunza has like 8-10 hours of electricity max and that is one of the most important tourist spots

Further areas need better security for the tourist and knowledge\traning to the local so that they are the one getting maximum profit out of it

 

[AZADPAKISTAN2009]

Waste of Time

a) European Tourist Listen to their own Local News : It portrays Pakistan in negative light
b) Their governments routinely , give warning to not visit Pakistan
c) Their insurance companies claim if you visit Pakistan insurance will not be covered due to
threat of Terrorism
d) Some of the Tourist that do come are , lacking financially so they are dirt cheap


Compared to the Tourist Spot which exist in Europe , Pakistan has not developed it's Cities which it claims are for Tourist


Middle Eastern Tourist

• Middle Eastern Tourist , presently goes to Egypt or Turkey

• Saudi Tourist were mainly visiting Turkey before relations soured or they were going to Jordan as they are suppose to have many beaches

• Similarly they also go to Egyptian Beaches

• More elite Middle eastern they end up spending their vacations in Europe mainly Spain or France they even export their car with them

European Tourist

• In order to attract European Tourist , a lot still has to change, better train service as they love to travel on foot

• Better safety situation (Safe tour guides )

• Better police service

• Bicycle Lanes / Hiking Routes / Camping Areas

• People who love to Ski , they already have so many choices in Europe , in order to attach them to come to Pakistan the cabins / resorts need to be upgraded to European standard

• Major On Going Forestation Drive need to happen

• Clean Environments are must as well in order to attract Tourist

• Pakistan does not even have trees in Parks

Broken Transportation System in Main Cities

• A tourist is not going to spend 5,000 USD or 10,000 USD to Pakistan and be stuck in his/her hotel , they live to roam around walk around see cities

• Cities need working Transportation system

• Police System should be strong enough to protect Tourist

• If they want to visits the Beach , the beach need to be sparkling clean

• Excessive Traffic and no laws prevent Tourist to rent cars and explore

Lack of Architectural Monuments to Bring in Tourist

• We lack a proper representation of our monuments , architectural catalog to show to international audience

 

[maximuswarrior]

Waste of Time

a) European Tourist Listen to their own Local News : It portrays Pakistan in negative light
b) Their governments routinely , give warning to not visit Pakistan
c) Their insurance companies claim if you visit Pakistan insurance will not be covered due to
threat of Terrorism
d) Some of the Tourist that do come are , lacking financially so they are dirt cheap

The government should stop wasting time, money and effort into attracting European or Western tourists. They are not ready. Their perceptions are very tainted. Their media and governments have played a very crucial role in highlighting Pakistan as the biggest threat in the universe. You cannot change this perception that easily. It would be easier to move mountains.

Focus should be on tourists that are less susceptible to propaganda. The only thing coming to mind are tourists from regional countries. China, Russia, South Korea, Vietnam, KSA, UAE, Malaysia and Indonesia to just name a few. We will need to setup good quality infrastructure to accommodate tourists.

Our previous governments have made very little effort to promote Pakistan. Finally we have a government who is promoting Pakistan on the world stage quite ambitiously. The initial focus should be to attract tourists closer to home.

Waste of Time

a) European Tourist Listen to their own Local News : It portrays Pakistan in negative light
b) Their governments routinely , give warning to not visit Pakistan
c) Their insurance companies claim if you visit Pakistan insurance will not be covered due to
threat of Terrorism
d) Some of the Tourist that do come are , lacking financially so they are dirt cheap


Compared to the Tourist Spot which exist in Europe , Pakistan has not developed it's Cities which it claims are for Tourist


Middle Eastern Tourist

• Middle Eastern Tourist , presently goes to Egypt or Turkey

• Saudi Tourist were mainly visiting Turkey before relations soured or they were going to Jordan as they are suppose to have many beaches

• Similarly they also go to Egyptian Beaches

• More elite Middle eastern they end up spending their vacations in Europe mainly Spain or France they even export their car with them

European Tourist

• In order to attract European Tourist , a lot still has to change, better train service as they love to travel on foot

• Better safety situation (Safe tour guides )

• Better police service

• Bicycle Lanes / Hiking Routes / Camping Areas

• People who love to Ski , they already have so many choices in Europe , in order to attach them to come to Pakistan the cabins / resorts need to be upgraded to European standard

• Major On Going Forestation Drive need to happen
• Clean Environments are must as well in order to attract Tourist

Broken Transportation System in Main Cities

• A tourist is not going to spend 5,000 USD or 10,000 USD to Pakistan and be stuck in his/her hotel , they live to roam around walk around see cities

• Cities need working Transportation system

• Police System should be strong enough to protect Tourist

• If they want to visits the Beach , the beach need to be sparkling clean

• Excessive Traffic and no laws prevent Tourist to rent cars and explore

This is initially very difficult for the government to achieve. Especially the infrastructure part will require time.

You know that we have a pretty sizable diaspora living abroad. If Pakistan can attract half of that on an annual basis you can also generate revenue.

Infrastructure wise a lot needs to be done in GB region and surrounding.

 

[AZADPAKISTAN2009]

Until their is Graffiti in Pakistan and unpainted buildings it will be impossible to attract tourist


Singapore

Karachi's Offering

A tourist is a smart consumer they value their money , and they visit places where they can take pictures , walk around , be impressed with air quality and memorable memories

 

[krash]

3 May, 2019

ISLAMABAD - With an aim to promote Pakistan as a preferred destination amongst French and European tourists, the Embassy of Pakistan to France in collaboration with leading French tour operator company Clio organized an outreach event.

This was the second such event organized at the Embassy. Over 100 French clients of “Clio”, who were invited through special invitations, attended the event, said a press release received here.

The ambassador Moin ul Haque invited the participants to visit Pakistan and explore its hidden touristic secrets. Pakistan was unique and diverse in terms of its landscapes and offered a variety of activities and attractions for tourists of all shades, he said and added that promotion of tourism was the priority of the Government of Pakistan.

He said besides developing modern facilities and launching a new visa regime for visitors, government’s tourism policy would ensure that tourism remained sustainable and eco-friendly while preserving the nature and its resources for future generations. The ambassador lauded the French tour operators for being a valuable partner in promoting Pakistan as a preferred tourist destination.

PM Imran Khan chairs meeting regarding Ramzan Package
Gérard Rovillé, a world renowned anthropologist and an accomplished researcher shared personal experiences of his frequent travels to Pakistan.

Earlier, Director Asia Region of Clio Marie Annick informed the participants that Clio was offering a variety of exclusive packages for visiting Pakistan titled, “Pakistan: 5000 Years of Art and History”, “The North of Pakistan” and “Grand Tour of Pakistan”.

She said that all these tour packages were in great demand and most of them for 2019 and 2020 had already been booked. Clio created in 1976 offers tour packages to over 200 tourism destinations in 85 countries.

The concept of 'tourism' in a Pakistani's mind is deeply flawed for Pakistan. The posters in this thread are a good example. These governments start their efforts on a false premise, there is no success awaiting them. This is what happens when you designate people who have nothing to do with the industry and have zero understanding of our areas.

government’s tourism policy would ensure that tourism remained sustainable and eco-friendly while preserving the nature and its resources for future generations

And what exactly is this policy? Pray tell what the government has actually done in this regard? Except for bs two bit statements.

 

[Mandalorian_CA]

open it up damn open it . no visa required - open travel - gov protection helpline for tourists 24/7 - no ban of alcohol - every major city must have pubs- free medical on emergency issues - there is so much we can do to promote it

The lifestyle you mentioned is good for business and attracts businessmen might be helpful in Gwadar city if we make it International like Dubai standard and transfer all the pseudo liberals so they can live their lifestyle there. Apart from that to attract tourists you need something unique, remember tourists can get pubs bars life style at their home country they travel, to experience something different like cultures or monuments. Also somebody added prostitution we can license and transfer all those women including elite class women there to generate revenue.