Guest Post by Bradistan Calling
The government has decided to celebrate the year 2007 as ‘Visit Pakistan Year‘.
Tourism is one of the biggest industries in the world. It can bring employment, opportunities and recognition. Pakistan is one of the best kept secrets of the tourism industry. Posts on ATP – on our various hidden tourist gems, our history, our culture and heritage, etc. – are examples of all that Pakistan has to offer. Everyone has their own ideas on Pakistan and pakistaniat; but ATP has demonostrated our ‘unity in diversity.’
ATP is the right forum for discussing how we can make “Visit Pakistan 2007” a success.
What avenues can be explored for participation and promotion of Pakistan. How can we 
attract tourists to Pakistan in 2007 and beyond? What can institutions like the national flag carrier (PIA) do to become a calling card for Pakistani tourism and hospitality? What role can the media play in this? And what can Pakistanis abroad do?
If those Pakistanis who live abroad decide to take ‘Visit Pakistan 2007’ seriously, others will surely follow.
Bradistan Calling is a proud Pakistani in Bradford, West yorkshire (Little Pakistan).
Dear Friends
We are a research team from Pakistan currently in New York. We are researching on drinking water issues and the business strategies that affect not only ‘ethical capitalism’ but also our planet. Please help us build a better world and in taking Pakistan forward in the field of research and development by completing the following survey on “Drinking Water Perception”
http://www.zoomerang.com/survey.zgi?p=WEB225Z9LGET J9
This survey is conceived and designed by the Pakistan research team at Pratt Institute in New York to get firsthand information and understand trends, perceptions and awareness of people worldwide and make strategic recommendation for our region of South Asia. The team looks forward to your support and cooperation in reaching its goal of over 10000 surveys.
Please also help us by forwarding it to your friends. Thank You
I want to mention about another ‘safety’ issue for the tourists in Pakistan. We pakistani, being naturally born tan, tend to hide from natural sun; whereas many people in the rest of the world love to relax in natural sun. There is alot of sun in Pakistan but is there a place where anyone could relax in a swim suit? Maybe on the pool side of some big hotels. I remember when I was in the final year in KE in LHR, we had an international conference and some foreigners also attended that. It was mid-June and you can imagine the heat; and I remember few foriegn women who were though wearing mini skirts, but they were also wearing long thick socks to cover their legs and one could see the misery on the faces in the heat of LHR. I guess they had a pretty good idea that they were in the neighbourhood of Anar Kali & Guwal Mandi.
Well first of all get rid of hatred for foreigners. Security situation is worse then it has been in past. I was surprised how much Anglina Jolie liked Pakistan, but we cannot provide security like that to everybody. I am pretty sure that there are many celebrities who really want to visit Pakistan and hollywood/bollywood movies can be shot here. Our biggest problems to the tourism industry are the fanatics. Movies are one good way of promoting tourism, because thats how people come to know about the beauty of the country and tourist locations.
For starters you can try to make it safe for foreigners so that ppl like Daniel Pearl don’t get beheaded !!!
I do not think that it can be a successful project…safety for foreigners is one issue….another issue is why should people come for a vacation to Pakistan? Alcohol is not served in resturants, there are no bars and nothing ‘colorful’ event that could attract foreigners…..If people spend money, they wanna have fun…they’d rather go to India, Thialand or Singapore….I believe only those people visit who have specific hobbies, like mountain climbing…