Business community hailed the PTI-led government for granting visa on arrival, business visa and e-visa under new visa policy. The veteran business leader said that easing the visa policy with the facility of on arrival visa for 50 countries, business visa for 68 countries and e-visa for 175 countries in addition to abolishing the NOC condition for tourists would attract more tourists, trade, investment, employment. The hotel industry would also flourish with tourism. More hotels would be required to be built in order to facilitate the increased number of tourists.
Pakistan Businessmen and Intellectuals Forum president Mian Zahid Hussain expressed hope new policy would bring more tourists and traders to the country.
"The incumbent government is realising the untapped potential of tourism of the country," he said, adding that to develop the tourism sector, KP government has taken the initiative of opening 20 new tourist destinations; sites have been identified in Chitral, Swat, Dir, Hazara and tribal districts of the KP province. To develop basic infrastructure in these areas, negotiation for loan are undergoing with the World Bank. Other provinces including Sindh, Balochistan, and Punjab should also join hands with federal government to promote tourism, he suggested.
PBIF president noted that despite huge potential, tourism sector contributes only 3 percent of the GDP which is approx $ 8 billion and it is expected that it would grow to $ 10 billion till 2025. He compared it with Malaysia that has only beach tourism and its tourism industry comprises of $ 20 billion while Turkey has beach and historical sites tourism while its tourism sector stood at around $ 40 billion. Pakistan has 700-kilometre coastal belt, ancient civilisation such as Harappa and Mohin Jo Daro, ancient civilised cities, including Lahore, Multan and Peshawar. Mian Zahid said Taxila and Takht Bhai possess antiques of Buddhism which are sacred for its followers in Japan, China and other parts of the world. Several ancient temples are located in ancient cities such as Peshawar where followers of Hinduism may be attracted. Kartarpur and Nankana Sahib are the most sacred places for Sikh people. He said government initiative of opening Kartarpur boarder would surely draw positive impacts. These places can be developed to promote historical, religious and beach tourism, respectively.
"Pakistan is destination of beautiful scenic mountains located in Gilgit-Baltistan, Swat and Chitral, where adventurous tourism may be promoted," he said, adding that the 'Visit Pakistan' campaign would promote soft image of Pakistan internationally and would help Pakistan in attracting tourists from across the globe. With improved law and order situation, future of tourism is safe and glorious.
Former vice president of FPCCI and ex-chairman of PTA and KATI, Gulzar Firoz, welcomed and highly appreciated the visa policy, and termed it a revolutionary step ever taken by any government. He appreciated the vision of Prime Minister Imran Khan to encourage foreigners to visit Pakistan both for trade and investments. He said it needs guts to announce such a policy. This step would lead to increase in export, he said. .They said this policy would increases tourism, exports and business activities in the country.