This year World Tourism Day is being celebrated under the theme of ‘Rethinking Tourism’. The day is celebrated to create worldwide awareness about the importance of the world’s fastest growing sustainable and eco-friendly tourism industry.
On World Tourism Day, we recognize the power and potential of tourism to advance prosperity and drive inclusive, sustainable development. The tourism sector touches almost every part of our economies and societies, enabling historically marginalized people and those at risk of being left behind to benefit from development that is local and direct.
The travel and tourism sector is, without a doubt, one of the most affected sectors as a result of Covid-19. There is always an opportunity that comes out of every crises. The prime winner from this crisis was domestic and regional tourism. Same was the case in Pakistan, in spite of all difficulties due to covid-19 SOPs and lockdowns, we had good tourism season at home. It is true that domestic travel does not bring in hard currency or contribute to the balance of trade, it does help keep businesses and jobs alive, which is a good thing especially for developing countries like Pakistan.
Emerging in devastating way, climate change is also severely affecting many major tourist destinations worldwide, particularly Pakistan which is right now passing through socio-economic miseries of monster flood. The worst ever flooding in the history of Pakistan has caused much damage to the tourist destinations especially in KPK, Baluchistan, Sindh and some parts of Punjab. Whatever tourism we had in Sindh is completely washed away by the mega flood.
People associated with the tourism industry are facing loss of tens of millions of rupees due to lack of tourists in the country. So yet another year with poor performance of tourism industry: whatever is the reason? Pakistan tourism is in situation of ‘from frying pan into fire’ from covid-19 to monster flood. Whatever tourism infrastructure we had is further destroyed. We have to rethink tourism and have to think very seriously to rehabilitate and repair fast all broken tourism infrastructure to be ready for next tourism season to well come the tourists.
