LAHORE: Jan 20: Despite the government’s desire to lure more tourists to the country, the foreigners, even those working in tourism industry, find the visa process cumbersome.

Ms Nicole Randill, an Australian tour operator, had to wait for six weeks to get a visa to participate in the Pakistan Tourism Fair, which was meant to showcase Pakistan for those related to the tourism industry.

Talking to Dawn at tourism fair on Saturday, Ms Randill from JC Travel Professionals, Australia, said it was a long and very cumbersome process to get visa to Pakistan, as she personally underwent the whole process. Besides the long process, she said the Pakistan embassy also charged a heavy visa fee of 210 Australian dollars. “I have never spent such a huge amount to get a visa in my life,” she said.

Being a tour operator, she said that she was not the only victim of this `cumbersome’ process. The whole community living in Global Alliance countries including Australia faced problem.

“How tourists from 18 Global Alliance countries can come to Pakistan, if they are asked to submit their passports for six weeks in the embassy and to pay a big amount as visa fee,” she asked.

Quoting another foreign delegate from Greece at the fair, Ms Randill said the Pakistan embassy had even asked her to provide financial details despite the fact that she had a letter for participation in the fair.

Despite the fact that she had developed liaisons with local tour operators and other tourism-related people in Pakistan, Ms Randill said it would be very difficult for her to attract and divert tourists towards Pakistan. She said that Pakistan embassies in all Global Alliance countries must develop a uniform and very simple visa policy for tourists. However, she said a lot many tourists would love to visit Pakistan, if the Pakistan embassies streamlined their affairs.

Visiting Pakistan for the first time, Ms Randill said her stay in Lahore was very comfortable and enjoyable. She said the Pakistani culture and people were very attractive. She said that she had a city tour with the Tourism Development Corporation of Punjab (TDCP) on the very first day and was fascinated to see the great historic buildings, culture and flag lowering ceremony at Wahga border.

Ms Randill said the PTF also went very well and she developed liaison with local tour operators and hoteliers. She said that this collaboration must help enhance tourists’ inflow in Pakistan.

Sevara and Katya, members of a cultural troupe from Uzbekistan, told Dawn that they were enjoying their visit to Lahore. “Though we did not visit any place in Lahore so far, we have made our dance performances thrice at different occasions during the fair”. They also said that they were much delighted because people loved their dance items and were eager to have their pictures shot with them. “Though we could not make a major cultural performance owing to time constraints, we still feel that we have become superstars in Pakistan,” they said gleefully.

The dancers said they liked local dresses, golden embroidery on clothes, scarves, jewellery and colourful stones. They said that they found mehndi fascinating and got their hands `painted’ with it.

They said Pakistani traditions were very close to those of Uzbekistan. However, they said, in Pakistan people had a habit of eating food with lot of spices and chillies, which was different. “As we cannot eat chillies, we have been reduced to eating oranges and bananas,” they said.