Travel advisories issued to the foreign nationals living in Pakistan apart, lacunas in the 18th constitutional amendment is hurting tourism industry in the country, one of the significant sources of foreign exchange earnings. Pakistan could enrich itself from Malaysian experience which is one of Southeast Asia's wealthiest and most developed countries. Malaysian government is endeavouring to increase tourism with the sole objective to diversify its economy and not make it dependent on exports.
Experimental results show that tourism has become Malaysia's third largest foreign exchange earner and has ranked among the top nine world's most visited country behind Germany. Tourism industry is contributing to the economic growth, attracting more investment as well as increasing job opportunities. The case in point here is that of department of tourist services (DTS) which has been devolved to provinces much to the disenchantment of tour, travel and hotel industry.
Although the high powered inter provincial co-ordination committee constituted by the government to address issues thrown up as a result of devolution has already recommended transfer DTS which serves as a regulatory body along with all its regional offices to the Ministry of National Heritage and the previous government had also decreed in favour of restoring tourism with federal government, orders to execute the orders have not been passed so far.
In the best interests of the country, Travel Agents Association of Pakistan (TAAP) has in a letter sent to the Prime Minister sought his intervention in this "very serious issue" and appealed that previous status of DTS be restored. Central Chairman, TAAP, Muhammad Iqbal has highlighted following areas which required immediate resolution. The Department of Tourist Services (DTS) was created in the year 1976 with the mandate to regulate air travel and hotel trade under the following three federal laws:
-- Travel agencies act, 1976 and rules 1977.
-- Pakistan hotels and restaurants act, 1976 and rules 1977.
-- Tourist guides act, 1976 and rule 1996.
The DTS performs its functions as a regulatory body and monitors the air travel trade and hotel industry in the country. The regularity functions of DTS arc performed under 4l1' schedule {Article 70(4)} federal legislative lists which read under section 6 & 24 as under:
6. Admission into, and emigration and expulsion from, Pakistan, including in relation thereto, the regulation of the movements in Pakistan of persons not domiciled in Pakistan, pilgrimages to places beyond Pakistan.
24. Carriage of passengers and goods by sea or by air.
Muhammad Iqbal said that in view of the aforesaid constitutional amendment, the Department of Tourist Services (DTS), a regulatory body has been transferred to the provincial governments, which is not in accordance with the law in the light of entry No.6 and 24 of the federal legislative lists as given in the 4th schedule of the constitution.
The government of Punjab in its letter dated May 10, 2011, addressed to the Chairman Implementation Commission on the subject matter has already asked for guidance/advice after consultation with Law and Justice division before proceeding further in the matter.
The travel and tourism industry is already performing below par due to the negative travel advisories by foreign governments not to travel to Pakistan. Further this constitutional amendment has also had adverse effects on the travel trade, for example: if an agent has one office in Islamabad, he cannot open the branch offices in other cities of Pakistan under the same name and licence, whereas the Travel Agencies Act, 1976 & Rules, 1977 and IATA accreditation allows him to have branch offices anywhere in Pakistan in addition to a head office. Furthermore, if he desires to open offices in Karachi, Lahore, Quetta, Peshawar, he has to apply for new licences, for each city separately, as per the policies of the provinces with provision of four new bank guarantees and fees. The 18lh constitutional amendment has caused great distortion in the functioning of travel agencies business in Pakistan. A separate letter, on the subject, has also been sent to Federal Minister for Science and Technology and Chairman, high level committee, Zahid Hamid.
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