Following an improvement in the security situation, tourism in Pakistan has increased by 300per cent over the past few years, it emerged on Wednesday.

According to the report, 1.75 million tourists visited Pakistan in 2017 alone. Statistics from the Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation (PTDC) show that 30pc travellers were domestic.

Also read: Reviving Pakistan’s tourism

According to the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC), last year, revenue from tourism contributed around $19.4 billion to Pakistan's economy and made up 6.9pc of gross domestic product. The WTTC expects that amount to rise to $36.1 billion within a decade.

Apart from an increase in annual tourism, there has been a significant increase in business travelling around the country as well.

Explore: 16 Pakistani tourist spots you must visit in 2016

A lot of credit for the rapid increase in tourism and travelling goes to publicity of different tourist spots through the internet.

The government has been making efforts to promote tourism and make PTDC a financially viable organisation, Managing Director PTDC Chaudhry Abdul Ghafoor told APP.

He said that PTDC and the University of Management and Technology (UMT) Lahore had signed a Memorandum of Understanding for the sponsorship of the tourism department's publicity material including banners, website, seminars, and conferences.

Products and services of PTDC will also be promoted through social media.

Recently, PTDC has also launched a Pakistan Tourism Friends Club, in which members of the club will get exclusive 20pc discount on PTDC facilities.

Opinion

Editorial

Quid pro quo
Updated 26 Jul, 2026

Quid pro quo

Accepting Israel would mean legitimising its violence against the Palestinians, as well as its neighbouring Arab states and Iran.
AI in government
26 Jul, 2026

AI in government

THE Prime Minister’s Office has announced the introduction of an AI-powered digital system and directed ministries...
Cautious optimism
26 Jul, 2026

Cautious optimism

THE latest polio surveillance figures offer some encouraging news regarding the difficult fight against polio. The...
Rampant lawlessness
Updated 25 Jul, 2026

Rampant lawlessness

THE brutal slaying of a judge and his guard in Mastung is the latest in a series of blood-drenched events that have...
Daily fuel pricing
25 Jul, 2026

Daily fuel pricing

THE government’s move to daily petroleum price adjustments should make fuel pricing more transparent and more...
The drug problem
25 Jul, 2026

The drug problem

WHILE Islamabad Police chase low-level peddlers, the capital’s kingpins have quietly taken their operations ...