Tourism is traveling for fun either it is for pleasure, fun or business. Tourism is universally known to travel for fun, sightseeing or camping. People who travel are called tourists and places, where they stay, are called resorts. I travel a lot; I hate my life disrupted by routine. Caskie Stinnett (author of one man’s island)
Outlines
- Types of tourism
- Subtypes of tourism
- Tourism products
- History of tourism in Pakistan
- Sights/areas for the attraction of tourists
- Importance of tourism
- Advantages of tourism
- Disadvantages of tourism
- Strategies to improve tourism
- Conclusion
Types of Tourism
There are three basic types of tourism.
- Domestic tourism
- Inbound tourism
- Outbound tourism
Domestic Tourism
As obvious from the name, when people take holidays, breaks and trips in their own country then this type of tourism is known as domestic tourism. For example, the people of Pakistan visit the northern areas of their own country.
Inbound Tourism
When a foreigner or non-resident of a country visits another particular country then it is known as inbound tourism.
Outbound Tourism
When a resident of a particular country visits countries outside the residential country then it is known as outbound tourism.
Subtypes of Tourism
Recreational tourism
The basic purpose of tourism is recreation. To make out time for family and go on trips. That is why tour packages have become so popular.
Environmental tourism
The affluent and opulent people usually visit those tourist places which are pollution and environment friendly.
Wildlife tourism
It is animal-friendly tourism.it means People watch wildlife animals living in their natural habitats.
Historical tourism
Tourists want to know where and how their forefathers lived. They love to visit heritage locations, temples, churches, museums, forts, mosques, etc.
Ethnic tourism
This refers to people visiting other countries or regions to observe their cultural values. For example folk music, dress culture, etc.
Adventurous tourism
This type of tourism usually belongs to the youth. They go for trekking, climbing, river rafting, etc. Only people with strong nerves can go through.
Sport tourism
This type of tourism is basically for sports purposes.
Tourism Products:
- Accommodation- Hotels, Motels, guests houses, beds, breakfast, camps, etc.
- Hospitality- Food and beverage serving services
- Transport services- rail, road, water, air network services.
- Travel agencies- tour operators and destination management companies.
History of Tourism in Pakistan:
From the 1970s to the 1990s, the tourism industry was a flourishing industry. Countless Europeans, Australians, Canadians used to visit Pakistan due to its beautiful sights and its diverse cultural heritage. PIA was amongst the top 10 airlines in the world.
Tourists and mountaineers used to travel to visit the northern areas of Pakistan. Pakistan earned huge revenue in this phase. In the 1980s Olympics were held in Karachi. Many honorable personalities like Queen Elizabeth, boxer Muhammad Ali visited Pakistan. Cricket matches also took place in that era. Many high profile people visited Pakistan in that era. All of those cannot be nominated here.
Sights/Areas of Attraction for Tourists:
Pakistan has four provinces, all of which have beautiful scenic sights which attract tourists from all over the world.
Gilgit Baltistan:
Gilgit Baltistan is actually home to mountain peaks. The world’s second-most highest peak K-2 is also situated in Pakistan including Nanga Parbat.
Shandur, the world’s largest polo ground is also situated in GB.
Attabad lake was also formed in 2010 after the landslide.
Punjab
The city of Multan is in the province of Punjab. It is an interesting mixture of ancient Sufism and dynastic rule. It reportedly starting with Hindu occupation then witnessing Greek invasion and after then finally witnessing a long era of Muslim Sufism. That is why it is known as the city of saints.
Sindh:
Tharparkar desert is included in Sindh. It consists of jumbles of towns and villages. In monsoon, the desert is transformed into an oasis and visitors flock there.
KPK
Pakistan is diverse in ethnicity. Kalash valley is an example of a beautiful culture. It is in the province of KPK.
Advantages of Tourism
- The tourism industry helps to boost up the economy.
- It brings opportunities to beat unemployment.
- Traveling freshers the mind of people.
- It is a source of employment for tourist guides, restaurants and local people in that area.
- It gives the opportunity to meet new people.
- Different cultural patterns can be seen.
- A well-developed infrastructure and facilities for tourist attraction sights, also play a great role in growing tourism
- It promotes cultural awareness.
Disadvantages of Tourism
- It may create cultural variations.
- It causes seasonal fluctuations.
- Imbalanced funding is also the reason for tourism.
- Tourism puts stress on local land which further causes soil erosion.
- It can increase the population.
- It can result in natural habitat loss.
These following factors can disrupt nature which is the key source of tourism.
Strategies to Improve Tourism
Security and Safety:
From the past few decades, Pakistan is facing the terror war that has eventually had negative impacts on tourism. The tourism sector is neglected by successive governments. So Pakistan should improve security conditions in order to improve tourism.
Improving Infrastructure
The government should pay attention to improve the infrastructure of tourist attractions that are providing more facilities, constructing routes, etc.
Emergency Evacuations
Emergency evacuation plans should be formed. If in case of any emergency, for example, fire, storms, flooding that tourist attraction, tourists should know about the emergency exits.
Easy Booking of Hotels
Online websites and apps should be made so that people from all over the world could easily access all the information regarding booking.
Some more strategies are:
- Baggage handling should be ensured by the tour operator agencies.
- Our Airports suffer various drawbacks which should be improved.
- Personnel training should be provided from airport staff to the staff of resorts for the purpose of better hospitality.
Conclusion
The tourism sector is the only sector that needs more and more exploration so the government should take steps for exploring new tourist attractions. Pakistan is blessed with natural beauty including historical heritage which if exploited properly can boost up the economy of Pakistan. It has improved after the mission Zarb-e-azb but more attention is needed.