Tourism in Pakistan

Tourism is considered as an important sector for any country from both social as well as economic point of view. Tourism sector is one of the key drivers of economic progress of a country through infrastructure development and creation of employment opportunities. Punjab being the largest province of Pakistan in terms of population possesses a wide range of tangible as well as intangible natural, man-made and cultural resources, some of which are World Heritage Sites. The real competitive strength of Punjab tourism sector is in its historical and cultural destinations which demonstrate the diverse religions and philosophies of continent. The real potential of Punjab tourism sector is reflected from its culture diversity which is achieved through its wide range of customs, traditions,cuisines, languages, music, festivals and religious practices.  

Punjab tourism industry is one of the highly vibrant among all sectors and Punjab tourism will be one of the rapidly growing industries in next couple of decades.

Opportunities available for foreign investors to invest in Punjab Tourism industry 

Punjab Government position tourism as a major engine of economic growth and harness the direct and multiplier effects of tourism for employment generation, economic development. Punjab Government focus on domestic tourism as a major driver of tourism growth and acknowledge the critical role of the private sector with Government working as a pro-active facilitator and catalyst.

Following are the opportunities for investment in tourism sector.

1. Establishment of a tourism and hospitality training institute and hotel facility:

The project seeks to establish a tourism and hospitality training institute to provide specialist training in hospitality management and services. 

The hospitality and tourism industry in Pakistanis predicted to grow over the coming years with the development of new five star hotels, which will create new jobs to the Pakistan economy within the next 2-3 years. Further with the boom of tourism Industry in Middle East Countries, there is continuous growing demand of skilled labour in the field of tourism. So there is a vast potential of establishing Hospitality & Tourism Institute in Pakistan. Further, there is an opportunity to establish a hospitality programme at  Bachelors level that should be supported in collaboration with an international institution to enhance the curriculum design and facilitate the programme development.

Currently there is limited provision of quality hospitality and tourism education, which is offered mainly at Public & Private level. In-depth interviews with key stakeholders were conducted to explore the potential of such a programme in Punjab. The findings suggest that there are skills gaps in two key areas, generic and soft skills. Finally, public awareness is vital to support the image and the prestige of employment in the sector.

The hospitality sector in Punjab is growing and many organizations are trying to support the industry and are in favour of the development of higher education hospitality programmes in the country. The investment in Hospitality education would be very fruitful as it will lead to new career paths for the youth who are almost 70% of the total population. The infrastructure development and manpower required for the project can be easily managed.

2. ESTABLISHING INTERNATIONAL TOUR OPERATING COMPANY

Pakistan is loaded with diversified tourism assets ranging from historical, cultural, religious, nature and adventure. Further, people love to visit international destinations. At the moment there are plenty of tour operators but they cannot compete with international standards and best practices. Finding a vacation destination is a hassle for many people and that is why many people pay for a planned adventure.This creates a lucrative business opportunity to provide variety of tourist destinations to visit with proper SOPs including transportation and Guide services. Pakistan is in a need of a tour operating company having aggressive networking, maintaining personal contacts with customers and a vast knowledge of various destinations both local and international.

Opportunities

Different types of tours packages can be offered including,  themed tours, family tours, cultural tours, specialized tours, budget tours and international tours or a combination of more than one specialty.

The Company may acquire all government licenses; government licenses are mandatory for operation. You may also obtain membership in a professional affiliation organization to boost your business credibility. 

It is easy to choose your business premises and enroll competent staff to look after your customers. Train your team in customer relations skills and ensure they have a thorough understanding of the tourism industry and the destinations your clients visit.