Fraaz Mahmud Kasuri

The hospitality industry is diverse and includes everything from hotels and other accommodation types to restaurants, travel agents and tour operators. In Pakistan, it is becoming extremely competitive, and it is important for the businesses operating within it to keep up with the latest trends, in order to avoid being left behind. At the very same time, there are certain things on the part of the government which are essential to the sustained development of his industry in Pakistan. So, at the very beginning of the decade 2020-30, it gets important to realise the needs and expectations of the hospitality and tourism industry from the authorities at the helm of affairs. Though the current government is paying attention to promote the hospitality & tourism sector but the following expectations are being expressed to enhance the sustainability of the ongoing projects and plans.

Public-private partnership

Various hill stations, resorts, motels and many other buildings of national importance are being governed and run by the government. Their structure and functionality both are usually questioned by the people visiting them. The state of the affairs can be improved in them if private sector is involved in this area. Professionals from interior decoration to hotel & restaurant management, transportation, tourism and aviation are doing wonders in their respective fields. So, it is the need of the hour to introduce public private partnerships in the areas of hospitality and tourism and the sectors related to them so that the quality of the things may not be hurt.

Use of technology

Hospitality & tourism are the sectors which are all about public interest and involvement. Keeping this thing in mind that we are living in the 21st century, the use of technology should be made easy and accessible in such populated sectors. Digitised dealings and mobile facilities can help reduce the issues of space and time.

Budget-friendly projects

Proper homework must be done before launching a project because the ventures running in loss become a burden on the taxpayers. Either its orange train or Kartarpur corridor, expected footfall, projected revenue and other estimations must be kept in mind to avoid any mishap.

Friendly visa regime

Pakistan has already updated its visa policy which allows visitors from 48 countries including Brazil, Germany, Iran, Malaysia, Russia, Turkey, China, Sri Lanka, Australia, and Denmark to receive a visa on arrival. It has also relaxed its visa facilities for diplomats, and government passport holders of 31 countries can also benefit from the new visa policy. Visa-on-arrival policy for five countries; Turkey, China, Malaysia, the UK, and the UAE has also been introduced while Pakistan has also announced to introduce online visa facility to the residents of over 175 countries. In the very same way, it is hoped that Pakistan will bring more innovations to its visa regime in the coming year as well to enhance its availability to the world.

Facilitated transportation facilities

As everything about hospitality and tourism is expanding in Pakistan, transportation is a factor that is still being ignored. Foreign and local tourists both face difficulties while moving across the country especially in northern areas as no proper arrangements for transportation have been done so far. The government should introduce a proper transport system for the tourists to make their journeys easier and facilitated.

Security situation

With the improvement in the security situation around the country, Pakistan has seen a massive increase in tourism in cultural sites across the country. Tourist traffic has been reported to have increased by over 317 percent. A single province, Punjab, is responsible for 95 percent of the increase in tourism. Recently, Pakistan has been named as the top holiday destination for travelers for the year 2020 by the United States-based luxury and lifestyle publication Conde Nast Traveler. A large number of tourists from across the globe is being expected after this announcement and for that the security situation must be in accordance to the international lines.