Faiza Tehseen

Pakistan should take strategic steps to promote its tourism destinations among the members states of the Economic Cooperation Organisation (ECO) to increase the tourist footfall.

“Positioning Pakistan as a tourist hub among ECO states is critical to enhancing visitors’ experience, boosting intra-regional travel, and creating jobs. The development of regional tourism data centres will help make data-driven decision making as regards forecasting the demand and framing the marketing strategies,” noted Mukhtar Ali, manager of tourist facilitation centres of Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation (PTDC). 

Speaking to WealthPK, he said establishment of a centralised ECO tourism portal will go a long way in developing digital infrastructure like AI-driven itineraries, e-visa integration, and multilingual support to facilitate tourists. Ali said: “Pakistan should leverage the ECO potential to drive socioeconomic development and strengthen people-to-people contacts.”

He said Pakistan is also implementing a comprehensive tourism promotion strategy to welcome a good number of tourists from the ECO. “These initiatives will position tourism as a major driver of economic growth and sustainable development in the country.” He said the ECO is rich in tourism potential products, including a variety of landmarks from deserts to green lands and high altitudes; cultural heritage, and historical assets.  

“During the 6th ECO ministerial meeting, held in Erzurum (a Turkish city and ECO tourism capital for 2025) in April this year, Lahore was selected as the tourism capital for 2027. It is a good step to showcase the true tourism potential of Lahore as it remained the centre of a multitude of historical events and places,” he said. Ali called for proper promotion of Pakistani tourist destinations to increase tourist footfall in the country, particularly from ECO member states.   

Meanwhile, speaking to WealthPK, Sahib Noor, Chief Executive Officer of Concordia Expedition Pakistan, a tour operating company, said, “ECO member states have great tourism potential but there is dire need to make people aware about their historic, natural, and cultural tourist destinations. Community engagement can work wonders.”

He said using modern technology like virtual and augmented realities can help explore cultural and tourism destinations. “It will foster the regional integration, branding, cross-border collaboration, capacity-building, innovation, digital literacy, public-private partnerships, and hospitality.” “Pakistan’s strategic approach in developing ECO-based smart tourism can position it as a leading tourist destination,” Noor underscored.

Credit: INP-WealthPk