Is Pakistan ready for foreign tourists ?

[T90TankGuy]

https://www.facebook.com/

guys here is the vid of her , she is not saying anything thats bad IMHO, i would love to visit Pakistan , especially for the food and the Mountains.

 

[Dubious]

We need to be honest, Pakistan is not an easy country to travel in: travel blogger Alex


Alex was asked to speak at the Pakistan Tourism Summit but says she was censored because her speech was deemed critical.

"Pakistan has a gora complex, a hangover from the colonial era," she says.


Alex, American traveller behind the travel blog Lost With Purpose, was invited to speak at the Pakistan Tourism Summit last month. However, she says her talk was cancelled last minute as the organisers said it was too critical and didn't fit the agenda of the summit.

After being "silenced", she decided to upload her talk on Facebook.

In the 15-minute video, Alex feels the PTS failed to fulfill its purpose because the organisers only wanted her to talk about how "awesome Pakistan" is, but refused to address the real concerns Pakistan's tourism may face, which is why she took to social media to share the issues.

"Pakistan is really cool and has a lot of potential", she says, before she starts but explains that "the social media coverage of Pakistan right now is dangerous for the future of the country's tourism."

Here's what she wanted to say at the summit.

1. "Pakistan is not an easy country to travel in and the current social media coverage of it is misleading"

Alex says that the "oversimplification of travel in Pakistan" creates problems for independent travellers as they're likely to encounter unofficial restrictions, harassment from officials, unclear bureaucratic procedures and mandatory armed escorts.

"In my own experience, security agencies have harassed me or my hosts in every single province that I've been to: Sindh Punjab, KPK and Gilgit-Baltistan. If we're going to advertise Pakistan as the next great travel destination for people instead of the experienced adventure travelers who have been coming here so far there needs to be a logistical overhaul."

Her solution? Firstly, the government can either remove the NOC restrictions all across Pakistan or publish a list stating where one needs an NOC when travelling in the country. Secondly, the police and security forces need to stop harassing foreigners. Thirdly, the government and media need to stop publicising these policy changes unless they've been enacted.



2. "The social media coverage is concerning - not everyone is going to have the same experiences as these white, Western influencers."

This severe lack of representation is a major setback because majority of the travellers in Pakistan are not white.

"Pakistan has a gora complex, a hangover from the colonial era. White people are put on a high pedestal in Pakistan and they receive royal treatment when they come here. Travelers of colour? Not so much.

"Pakistani travelers are not going to have the same experiences as these white influencers are. Pakistani tourists won't receive security escorts when they go to sensitive areas. Pakistani backpackers aren't going to get free handouts just because they walked down the street. Pakistani girls are not going to be celebrated or encouraged to ride bikes or motorbikes around the country like their foreign counterparts.

"I experience this first hand as most people think I'm Pakistani when I walk around. Pakistani women message me all the time on my blog that they want come and travel to Pakistan but they're worried because they're not going to receive the same welcome as these white or foreign travelers do."

Her solution? Pakistan, get over this colonial hangover. You do not need white travellers to validate your country. Travellers of colour need to know what to expect when coming here and who better to set expectations than local influencers who look like them and come from their culture? Representation matters.

Pakistan has an immense pool of local talent of photographers, vloggers, bloggers, who have been documenting the country much longer than any foreigner has. The government and the media need to support more local influencers and influencers of colour; hire them for campaigns, take them on as hosts for travel shows, include them in discussions and talks and share their content.


3. "Potential for cultural clashes in Pakistan is immense"

To be more direct, when she talks about cultural clashes, Alex is talking about the cultural sensitivities of the people in Pakistan.

"You have to be careful when traveling here, and the media coverage says nothing about that. Tourists don't realise that they should keep their atheistic beliefs silent at the dinner table. Couples might not realise they cannot kiss in public or even hold hands, and that it's better to say that they're married if they're not.

"Men can't realise how risky it may be to flirt with a Pakistani woman especially in front of her brothers, fathers or male cousins. Many women may not realise that they might be the only woman on the street more often than not and men might interpret their public presence as a sexual invitation, rather than what it actually is, travelling."

Her solution? Government and media have to start promoting transparency instead of only promoting highly positive narratives about travel.

She says one should be honest about what it's like to travel here. "Stop flaming, guilting and trying to censor anyone who says or shows something that makes you a little uncomfortable. It's okay to have criticism about a country.

"Despite all these difficulties, people like me have still fallen in love with your country. But the potential has to be managed properly. I just want to help other travellers come to this country and experience what I have - in order to do that the existing problems need to be looked at with a critical eye. I think Pakistan is worth the hype," she concludes.

I haven't heard her but from what u am reading is she was confused of where Pakistan is that she even brought in cultural clash?!

Of course there is cultural clash! We aren't white nor European...If someone is going to be misled it is solely based on that ignorant not doing his/her research

Her points are valid for every country you go to, even America where she was born. Her speech was declined rightful so, the summit had its intentions clear. It was about the start of tourism not the downfalls of it. She seems to have been told off that's why she seems so butthurt.

Exactly! I don't know why she singled out pakistan unless it is the first country outside her native land or region that she visited!

Heck there is also cultural clash going to eastern Europe or southern America with gun culture!


To me it seems a gimmick for attention coz her show was cancelled!

Pakistan never advertised itself as a first world country so if she "was misled" it was coz she didn't do any research. ....

Even when I went to Europe I read up abt it. When I went ot USA I read up abt it. When I went to Thailand I read up abt bt it....now if an idiot doesn't read abt where they abt bare going kindly don't blame the country or exaggerate repeatedly! We have enough problems than to teach people to do research abt our country!

 

[VCheng]

When I went ot USA I read up abt it.

How did you find the parts visited in the Home of the Great Satan?

 

[SoundBarrier]

Her points are valid for every country you go to, even America where she was born. Her speech was declined rightful so, the summit had its intentions clear. It was about the start of tourism not the downfalls of it. She seems to have been told off that's why she seems so butthurt.

No its isnt. Its not valid for every country.

Lets face it and do a simple test. If you can send your sisters/or other close female relatives by themselves to go to Murree from Islamabad to stay there for few days for sightseeing or let them go to Gilgit or Skardu just by themselves for tourism, then its fine . But if you will not allow your female relatives to go there, then dont expect others and that too foreigners to travel to Pakistan alone or even with some male companions to go to Northern areas and stay there for few days.

Being Pakistani I have to admit that its not easy to travel around Pakistan especially once you have female companions. Lets not bluff ourselves and take it what is truth. We seriously need to improve the conditions traveling in and out of Pakistan .

 

[Dubious]

How did you find the parts visited in the Home of the Great Satan?

Well I went twice. Once for cousin's wedding....Other time was just for Christmas break..

Well I only visited two states....didn't go south so to me it wasn't anything new...

my cousin though was disappointed that I didn't have the effect he had seen on other relatives who came freshly from Pakistan.....being a scientist my cousin started his analysis on me:

I had seen tall buildings in Singapore and Malaysia so that didn't move me even when walking in the streets of Manhattan..

Other state was NJ ...well it was neighbouring state and one cousin used to work there....

 

[VCheng]

Well I went twice. Once for cousin's wedding....Other time was just for Christmas break..

Well I only visited two states....didn't go south so to me it wasn't anything new...

my cousin though was disappointed that I didn't have the effect he had seen on other relatives who came freshly from Pakistan.....being a scientist my cousin started his analysis on me:

I had seen tall buildings in Singapore and Malaysia so that didn't move me even when walking in the streets of Manhattan..

Other state was NJ ...well it was neighbouring state and one cousin used to work there....

Yes, @Indus Pakistan was not too impressed when he visited NYC either.

 

[Dubious]

No its isnt. Its not valid for every country.

Believe me it is.

I will give you an example. When I was in Europe, a small town American boy had come as exchange student from some smsll town in Connecticut (he even had to explain to the Europeans where CT was)...he hadn't even been anywhere in America and he was relating how the people in his town were scaring him for going to Europe alone. He said some were scaring him abt STD and drugs as a daily lifestyle of Europeans....so yes it is universal to have culture shock depending on which town you came from.

Yes, @Indus Pakistan was not too impressed when he visited NYC either.

Yea I had also seen Liverpool station in London ...It is surrounded by tall buildings soo to me it was all the same lolz...

I wasn't even moved by Christmas deco coz Europe too does it like crazy so I was neutralised ...I would wanna visit further south but am afraid to but let's see....got a cousin in TX who keeps inviting us

But watching cowboys cartoons and movies has prob desensitised me enough to go to Kansas lolz

 

[Arsalan 345]

Citizens aren't safe.forget tourists.

 

[SoundBarrier]

Believe me it is.

I will give you an example. When I was in Europe, a small town American boy had come as exchange student from some smsll town in Connecticut (he even had to explain to the Europeans where CT was)...he hadn't even been anywhere in America and he was relating how the people in his town were scaring him for going to Europe alone. He said some were scaring him abt STD and drugs as a daily lifestyle of Europeans....so yes it is universal to have culture shock depending on which town you came from.

I have been to Europe alone many times in past and even right now on a trip with a friend. Not faced any problem ever.
Now you try taking a European female companion with you to Gilgit and around: you may be surprised.

 

[Dubious]

Citizens aren't safe.forget tourists.

No one is safe from death even if you build towers as high as the sky....

People still go to Israel for tourism....many still went to Egypt....It is upto the tourist...plus I don't want junk tourists either so it is best only those capable of reading or at least knowing where Pakistan is should be welcomed

I have been to Europe alone many times in past and even right now on a trip with a friend. Not faced any problem ever.
Now you try taking a European female companion with you to Gilgit and around: you may be surprised.

Depends on which part of Europe. ...I have been to eastern Europe and gotten stared at like I had antenna sticking out of my forehead

So ????

 

[SoundBarrier]

No one is safe from death even if you build towers as high as the sky....

People still go to Israel for tourism....many still went to Egypt....It is upto the tourist...plus I don't want junk tourists either so it is best only those capable of reading or at least knowing where Pakistan is should be welcomed


Depends on which part of Europe. ...I have been to eastern Europe and gotten stared at like I had antenna sticking out of my forehead

So ????

Pakistan isn't ready as yet to receive foreign tourists where they can walk freely without being harassed. How long will you take them around in PAF C130s or under Armys protection.

Lets face it and lets get real....we still have long way to go...

 

[Dubious]

It didn't make me cry over the net about the lack of hospitality?!

Heck my friend from Czeck told me not to visit coz her "town " was not very friendly to Asians....nor was my friends in Southern Italy very inviting to their home town ...

And when I was in Budapest...I witnessed an anti foreigner rally by the far right

Pakistan isn't ready as yet to receive foreign tourists where they can walk freely without being harassed. How long will you take them around in PAF C130s or under Armys protection.

Lets face it and lets get real....we still have long way to go...

Yes let's do get real....you need to travel more and experience more...not just that which is on the tourism websites

 

[SoundBarrier]

It didn't make me make cry over the net about the lack of hospitality?!

Heck my friend from Czeck told me not to visit coz her "town " was not very friendly to Asians....nor was my friends in Southern Italy very inviting to their home town ...

And when I was in Budapest...I witnessed an anti foreigner rally by the far right and I was bloody afraid....I guess the tour I had booked noticed and they just pulled me back from the main road (I was taking pictures of the rally) and just formed a circle around me so as to hide me....These were all tourists ...The local tour guide I was with was apologising like crazy as though she had planned it....

so every country does have their bright touristic side and hidden side ....nothing is generalised


Yes let's do get real....you need to travel more and experience more...not just that which is on the tourism websites

I am an airline pilot for a major airline for last 15 years in and I need to travel more ... I will take your advice with a pinch of salt

Grow up and get real.

 

[Dubious]

I am an airline pilot for a major airline for last 15 years in and I need to travel more ... I will take your advice with a pinch of salt

Grow up and get real.

I lived in europe since 2010 so I would tell you to get real too

 

[VCheng]

Yea I had also seen Liverpool station in London ...It is surrounded by tall buildings soo to me it was all the same lolz...

I wasn't even moved by Christmas deco coz Europe too does it like crazy so I was neutralised ...I would wanna visit further south but am afraid to but let's see....got a cousin in TX who keeps inviting us

But watching cowboys cartoons and movies has prob desensitised me enough to go to Kansas lolz

Yeah, the image is far better than the reality. Not much to see out in the US countryside.