Traveling whirls you around, turns you upside down and stands everything you took for granted on its head.
We travel, initially, to lose ourselves; and we travel, next, to find ourselves. We travel to open our hearts and eyes and learn more about the world than our newspapers will accommodate. We travel to bring what little we can, in our ignorance and knowledge, to those parts of the globe whose riches are differently dispersed. And we travel, in essence, to become young fools again — to slow time down and get taken in, and fall in love once more.
The beauty of this whole process was best described, perhaps, before people even took to frequent flying, by George Santayana in his lapidary essay, “The Philosophy of Travel.” We “need sometimes,” the Harvard philosopher wrote, “to escape into open solitudes, into aimlessness, into the moral holiday of running some pure hazard, in order to sharpen the edge of life, to taste hardship, and to be compelled to work desperately for a moment at no matter what.”
I believe Pakistan is one of the best travel destinations in the world–desert expanses in Thar and Cholistan, Lush green plains in Punjab, mighty mountains in Northern Pakistan and Chitral; so many unexplored and “just to yourself” places. And also great urban centers like historic Lahore. The beginnings of world history can still be traced down to Pakistan – Indus Civilization. Moreover, Pakistan being one of the cheapest countries in the world is a great deal for budget travelers.
S A J Shirazi is a Lahore (Pakistan) based writer. (See more at Shirazi’s blog ‘Light Within’).
Surely problems such as Pakistan’s negative image, realistic security problems, poverty and a weak tourism department is to be blamed, but the private sector also has to encourage foreign tourists. Take the example of “Ski Dubai” an indoor skiing slope withing a mall in Dubai, where people from all over the middle east go, or Thailand’s beach resorts or Theme Parks. There are people in Pakistan who have millions and millons of Dollars, but are stupid enough to not invest into ideas like these and only invest in barren real estate (to expand the city of Lahore ofcourse in either direction of the Raivand Rd). Media in Pakistan is getting stronger and stronger and in countries like Pakistan where people dont have other sources of entertainment, the media is followed like Gods word. What I am leading to is maybe the Major media-houses like GEO or ARY Group need to start a show like “The Apprentice” where people bring new ideas on the table and are given a shot to put it together into a success.
For tourism into Pakistan, we should not only look at the West but towards the east and the North and the South of us as well. If you build a world class resort city where you have beaches and Theme Parks, dont you think one percent of Indias population would visit (10 Million people) or people from the former Soviet Republics or Bangalis, or Sri Lankans or people from the Millde East ?
Seems right on target. Pakistan just announced relaxed visa rules to encourage tourism.
http://www.hindustantimes.com/news/7598_1732457,00 0500020000.htm
I think the security situation is one of the main reasons why people are hesistant to visit. We do have alot to offer, especially in the northern areas. Not many countries can claim to have 5 of the worlds 14 tallest mountains…..
From non-Pakistani friends who have traveled in Pakistan, I often hear that the logistics are terrible, even if the locations are absolutely gorgeous. They also complain about a sense of lack of security, and women do not feel very welcome traveling or touring. Also, people want to learn as much about culture and people, as they want to look at mountains, valleys or human constructions – that is where my friends think India takes an edge. They almost invite you to live with them – the pooja, the yoga and all the rest….
Yes, we have some amazing places in Pakistan which we fail to appreciate ourselves.