The travel and tourism industry, a significant contributor to global economic development and job creation, holds great potential due to Pakistan’s diverse landscapes and rich cultural heritage. Pakistan faces both challenges and opportunities despite the strong regaining of the international tourism industry, which is likely to rise by 5.8 percent annually between 2022 and 2032. The industry’s share in the GDP of Pakistan is expected to rise from 5.8 percent in 2023 to 6.1 percent in 2024, with employment expected to increase by 4.79 million jobs.
However, Pakistan’s performance in various pillars of the ‘Travel & Tourism Development Index 2024’ reveals several areas in need of improvement. Structural issues and challenges contribute to this underperformance, including low rankings in the business environment, safety and security, a low-skilled workforce, and inadequate ICT infrastructure.
While positive progress has been made in areas such as price competitiveness and government spending on tourism, challenges in environmental sustainability, data management, and infrastructure quality still need ongoing attention.
To unleash its full potential, Pakistan must ensure a more resilient and competitive tourism sector through strategic reforms, improved security measures, improved infrastructure, and sustainable practices to effectively address these challenges that attract international visitors.