By Iyma Atiq.
The past few months have seen plenty of incidents take place in Pakistan and it seems that tourism in the country has been affected as figures show that numbers of tourists in the country has decreased.
The past few months have seen the number of flight ticket purchases and tourism populations in major sites and cities decreasing and reasons for this are seemingly very varied.
The tourism rate as a percentage has dropped by approximately 12% according to figures. Since, 2008 the tourism rate in the country has dramatically dropped. One suggested reason for this decrease is the influence that the tourism kidnapping has had on people considering holidaying there. The most recent case is the kidnapping of two aid workers in January by the Afghanistan border; an example of tourists being kidnapped by locals usually in an attempt to get money. Another example includes the kidnap and ransom of a young British boy back in 2010 who was held for a ransom of £10,000. The past few years have seen tourism figures drop slightly and it may possibly be due to stories such as these. In recent years, studies and figures have indicated that the unemployment and poverty rates in Pakistan have increased dramatically, which may be why more foreign kidnappings have occurred more frequently as of late.
As poverty rates have increased, vulnerability of those in slightly poorer classes have also worsened. The past few months have seen the spread of a disease known as dengue fever. In Lahore alone, the illness has claimed the lives of more than 100 people and has affected thousands. The contagious disease is spread mainly by mosquito’s and can easily affect those living in unsanitary conditions and is more common in women than in men, as well as young children. Travellers to foreign countries may also be likely to contract the disease thus leaving negative impressions upon tourists.
Among kidnappings and dangerous diseases, violence and dangerous social behaviour has also had an influence on the tourism economy. Events such as the assassination of Benazir Bhutto, power cuts in major cities and the effect of government corruption has lead to violent public outbursts and extreme rioting in some of Pakistan’s major cities. People have been killed, severely injured and attacked when public outbursts against certain events have been carried out. Allegedly this has influenced the state of safety within the country, which has had a negative impact on how tourists should feel when travelling around Pakistan.
Corruption, kidnappings and illness seemingly are the main things that have influenced the tourism economy of Pakistan. Numbers have decreased significantly, which is starting to affect the economy. Whether the main problems can be solved or not is unknown, the future of tourism for Pakistan is seemingly unpredictable.
